Jesus Christ: Humanitarian, Showman or Dictator?

Today I'm asking probably one of the most foundational questions about Christianity:

Who Is Jesus Christ?

Is He a liar or a fool, mentally unstable, a power hungry despot, a great teacher, a good man, or just a figment of the Gospel writers imaginations?

Or is He... something more...

Matthew 4:1-11 (What kind of Saviour)

I love the account of Christ's temptation in the desert. We, as readers are still trying to understand who Jesus is and what He's about...we know He's the Son of God, who has come to save us from our sin...but we're still wrestling with exactly what that means.

The crowds at the river Jordan have seen and heard strange, bewildering things and like us, don't really know what's going on.

Jesus enters the desert and faces some foundational temptations: physical need, ego, and power...

It's as if He's being given the choice of what kind of Saviour, what kind of man He's going to be.

THE HUMANITARIAN (verses 1-4)

So let's imagine you're stuck in the desert, no food or water, starving...but with the power to do something about it, what do you do?

Pretty reasonable request I suppose, to get yourself some food, but that wasn't the point of entering the desert; it was to meditate, to seek nourishment and energy, not from physical things but from the Father. Jesus is presented with the choice of relying on His own power or that of the Father.

Now, before I get carried away, I have to clarify that food, water, a safe place to sleep etc are important, of course they are.

As a Church and as Christians we cannot ignore the needs around us, we are commanded to do something about it, to serve our fellow man. 

But if we become simply a charitable organisation, we lose the heart of who we are. Jesus could have spent His earthly ministry simply doing good. He probably wouldn't have been crucified, but He would have failed in His mission to reconcile God and man, the very heart of why He was sent.

The fundamental truth of humanity is that we are not just physical beings but spiritual, and both physical and spiritual needs must be met...but really the physical only affects our short earthly lives...the spiritual, echoes into eternity. (shameless gladiator movie reference)

'Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (verse 4)

THE SHOWMAN (verses 5-7)

The next temptation is that of ego...the desire to put ourselves on a pedestal, to make ourselves the centre of the world. In the account of Christ's temptation, His own particular challenge was to put His humanity aside, to complete His mission by putting on a show, by wowing the crowd, essentially by putting style over substance.

But Christ is not distant or aloof...He walks with us, meets us where we are. Whatever situations we are facing Christ is there at the heart of it, not playing to the crowd but invested in our situations and in us as individuals that loved and valued by Him

For us, the challenge is to remember Christ's attitude and example.

The Church loves it's Choirs, bands, stained glass windows, buildings, traditions...the list goes on of course. And these are not necessarily bad things in themselves, they can be amazing and truly make us aware of God's presence...but they aren't the most important things...not by a long shot.

We must care, love and walk beside our hurting world, it won't be healed by fancy shows and nice looking buildings...but by getting involved in our world, walking with the broken on their level, by genuinely caring about each other and the things that matter to each of us... that's where we'll find Christ...waist deep in the nitty gritty of life.

THE DICTATOR (verses 8-11)

The final temptation that Christ faces in the desert is the temptation of power.

The temptation to make the world fall into line...to use intimidation and control to achieve His ends.

Of course power like that comes at a cost...it means once again losing sight of who we are and why we're here.

Had Christ accepted the proposal He would have moved away from the Father's purpose, away from worshipping the Father and instead worshipping satan, and power itself...this always reminds me of the scene in the first Lord of the Rings movie; the Wizard Gandalf refuses to use the evil power of the ring, knowing that although he would be much stronger, the power would corrupt him and destroy everything he was. He would lose his very being in order to achieve power for powers sake.

As the Church we face a similar temptation, we seek power to achieve political and social objectives which in themselves are good and righteous.

I have met Church leaders like this... people who would make fantastic social justice champions and politicians but have lost sight of the God who calls them, the mission for which they have been equipped...Christ has been replaced by social, and political ends...again these are honourable aims...but when these leaders rely on themselves and without realising it, subconsciously push out Christ, they are worshipping a different power, putting results ahead of what their true focus and mission should be.

Putting Christ first doesn't mean that we won't be as affective at achieving social and political change, the opposite is true...what it does mean however, is that our aims and mission become aligned with God's. It means that we might have to sacrifice looking good or popular in order to make sure that the glory goes to God.

Christ made that decision...to worship God alone, it meant sacrifice and humiliation but it also meant final victory and put Him at one with the Father. He was made to be nothing so that the Father would get the glory and honour...and this is what is asked of us today.

THE REAL JESUS

"To holy people the very name of Jesus is a name to feed upon, a name to transport. His name can raise the dead and transfigure and beautify the living." - John Henry Newman

The title of this post was deliberately controversial and thought provoking... hopefully it will as intended provoke some thought and discussion and not unintentionally cause offence.

Jesus is of course far more than a Humanitarian, Showman, and certainly not a dictator. He is a Friend, guide, guardian, protector, teacher, master, servant and king. He is all of these things...but so much more.

He is not an abstract concept, or a distant unreachable cosmic entity. He's a real, living, loving, laughing individual being; God incarnate, who walks, laughs, cries alongside us, and who builds us up, rebukes, corrects and desperately calls to us to walk, serve and live by His side.

But it's one thing me telling you all this, it's not up to me to tell you what you should believe...your job is to decide for yourself who Jesus is to you. What will you do, and how will Christ change and inspire you?

Is He just a good teacher, moral example or something more...who do you say Jesus is?

I'll give the final word to C S Lewis...he gives us some brilliant thoughts to ponder as we try to answer all these questions for ourselves:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

 - C S Lewis (Mere Christianity)

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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army

Salvationists Assemble!!!

"There was an idea, Booth knew this, called the Salvation Army Initiative The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to to fight the battles we never could."

- Nick Fury (outrageously ripped off and paraphrased)

Before we get started I'll admit that this is probably the cheesiest post I've written...but I think it's an important message so I hope you'll stick with me.

The Heroes the world needs:

Maybe you're already humming The Avengers Theme tune ...and hopefully you'll forgive the shamelessly ripped off and plagiarised quote from Nick Fury...but this really was the idea behind the Salvation Army...to be an organisation of heroes, faithful champions who would storm the forts of darkness and fight against hate, injustice, homelessness, social inequality, faithlessness, and hopelessness.

Or to put it in the Army's founder, William Booth's own words, in his famous 'Vision of the Lost':

"Does the surging sea look dark and dangerous? Unquestionably it is so. There is no doubt that the leap for you, as for everyone who takes it, means difficulty and scorn and suffering. For you it may mean more than this. It may mean death. He who 

beckons you from the sea however, knows what it will mean - and knowing, He still 

calls to you and bids to you to come.

You must do it! You cannot hold back. You have enjoyed yourself in Christianity 

long enough. You have had pleasant feelings, pleasant songs, pleasant meetings, 

pleasant prospects. There has been much of human happiness, much clapping of 

hands and shouting of praises - very much of heaven on earth.

Now then, go to God and tell Him you are prepared as much as necessary to turn your 

back upon it all, and that you are willing to spend the rest of your days struggling in 

the midst of these perishing multitudes, whatever it may cost you.

You must do it. With the light that is now broken in upon your mind and the call that 

is now sounding in your ears, and the beckoning hands that are now before your eyes, 

you have no alternative. To go down among the perishing crowds is your duty. Your 

happiness from now on will consist in sharing their misery, your ease in sharing their pain, your crown in helping them to bear their cross, and your heaven in going into the very jaws of hell to rescue them."

Click Here for a shortened but dramatic reading of this vision for the lost and the mission of Salvation Army and wider Church.

What it means to be a Salvationist:

This is what I believe it means to be a Salvationist and of course a Christian from any denomination...we are called to take a stand against injustice, hatred and all the other things I listed above...

Check out this post from the archives about what I believe the role and importance of the Salvation Army Soldier truly is (including Officers, Adherents and members)
No Soldier left behind

The days of sitting back and avoiding conflicts are gone...the world needs us. Just as in William Booth's day, the needs of our fellow man are crying out to us. We must decide how we will respond...right wing hate groups seem to be everywhere as is 'casual' racism, Brexit is dividing communities, terrorism haunts our steps, gun crime seems to be on the rise, and our politicians and leaders appear to be only interested in themselves and not the common good...if we're looking for examples of heroes and champions...they won't be found there....no wonder we seem obsessed with superhero movies at the moment...we seem sadly lacking in real world heroes.

That's where we come in...we are called and empowered to be beacons and lighthouses in the storms of this world, guiding people to God as is the entire Church of course.

But...and this is a big but...you'll never find an active lighthouse in the middle of a field, miles from the ocean... because that's not where they're needed... that's surely what Booth's vision is all about... meeting the needs around us where THEY are, instead of where WE are and where WE are comfortable.

Sometimes being a hero and fighting against all the things that we are called to fight against; means stepping out, being unpopular, leaving our own comfort zones, and taking the fight far behind enemy lines...we spend so much time and energy as a Church trying to attract people into our buildings and events... when really we should be putting this effort into inspiring and encouraging those within our congregations to get out of our buildings and out into the streets where the battlefield really is... otherwise we're just lighthouses in a field, giving light to each other...which for the record is definitely not a bad thing... it's important and necessary to build each other up and be beacons for each other, keeping ourselves on track, on task, on the right path and of course in the light... but that's not where our mission should end!

As C.T. Studd put it:

"Some want to live within the sound

Of church or chapel bell;

I want to run a rescue shop,

Within a yard of hell."

Developing the hero inside:

So my advice and encouragement for those interested, is to build yourselves, strengthen yourselves, trust and believe in God. Do what you need to do to reach your potential... heroes are not built overnight...Iron man spent years perfecting his armour, Captain America spent years building his character, determination and integrity before the super soldier serum gave him his physical powers, Thor had to experience life without his powers to discover who he really was and could become, Hulk had to learn to embrace his powers and potential to become more than a mindless beast... and the list goes on...every hero took time and effort to really reach their full potential and become true heroes.

But of course they didn't then spend their time congratulating each other and resting on their laurels (ok... Tony Stark/Iron man probably spent a while congratulating himself) they got to work, they fought the battles ordinary people couldn't, they stepped out and stepped up...they joined the battle where they were needed and despite sometimes having feelings of inadequacy or fear they didn't let anything stop them being who they had to be and doing what they had to do... the same goes for those early Salvation Army trailblazers...men and women who gave up everything to serve God and man and fight for those around them who cried out for help... and the same goes for us today following in their footsteps...so spend that time and effort to reach your potential, become the hero you need to be; it is time well spent but don't stop there... get to work and be the hero this world needs you to be... and needs us all to be...

The Team:

Of course to do all this, we not only have to build ourselves and trust God...we have to learn to work together and put aside those things that divide us, to be, not just amazing individuals but an amazing team of heroes, like the Avengers...but in our case, joined together, empowered and equipped by God to save our fallen and hurting world...

So without further ado:

Salvationists Assemble!!!




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Disclaimer: the opinions and comments expressed in this blog are personal and do not necessarily represent the views and policies of the Salvation Army

How to improve church attendance in 5 easy steps

Have you ever wanted a foolproof way to improve church attendance in no time flat?

Perhaps you've found attendance falling and you've decided to take extreme and direct action to solve the problem.

If you want to fill your church and send your attendance figures skyrocketing and you are willing to sell out all that you are then read on...here are 5 guaranteed ways to fill your church week in, week out...

The 5 Steps:
1) Replace hymns with pop music
2) replace your sermon with the latest movies and sporting events
3) undercut the local bars by selling cheap alcohol
4) replace the sanctuary with a casino
5) Remove anything remotely religious from the building we don't want to put people off...

Ok so all of that is a bit tongue in cheek; but I wonder if sometimes it's not close to the truth... we measure success and effectiveness by how many people come through the door, or sign up as members or join our programs...now obviously I understand why we use the measures of success...I get that these are helpful things and are obvious ways to keep track of how we're doing...but really they are only one small part of the story...

If our ambition is simply to get people through the door, then no problem...follow the measures above and people will flock to your church...but that's not really the point is it?

Our mission
Our mission is to build the kingdom, not to build a social club...our ambition and the measure of our success should be changed lives and closer walks with God...now obviously these are highly personal things and not really measurable...at least not in the way we usually measure things.

Christ however, as we know measures things in a different way:

"By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?" - Matthew 7:16

We have to decide what standard we are going to use... whether we will let our own need for approval and measuring of success or whether we will listen to what God wants us to do and measure success His way...or better yet; don't measure success, just be faithful to God's purposes, promises and mission....a bit of a stretch with our human need for approval but definitely something to aim for at least...

Ok so before I get carried away let's back track a bit... there's is nothing wrong with tracking figures, seeing what works, what events or programs are more successful than others...to a point...the danger comes when we put more trust in the figures themselves and our own good ideas and pride that we lose track of who we are and who God wants us to be. If this happens we end up trusting in ourselves and congratulating ourselves and we begin to worship ourselves and our figures, forgetting to listen to God... rejecting ideas because of those age old Christian excuses 'we've never done it that way' 'we've already tried that' 'that's not the way we do things' and so on...

Not the best example!
This is a really dangerous road to travel down...the best example I could think of from scripture is 1 Chronicles 21... King David takes a census:

"Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, “Go and count the Israelites from Beersheba to Dan. Then report back to me so that I may know how many there are.”

But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My Lord the king, are they not all my lord’s subjects? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?”

The king’s word, however, overruled Joab; so Joab left and went throughout Israel and then came back to Jerusalem. Joab reported the number of the fighting men to David: In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who could handle a sword, including four hundred and seventy thousand in Judah.

But Joab did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, because the king’s command was repulsive to him."

On the face of it, taking a census seems a pretty reasonable thing for a king to do... taking stock of your strengths and weaknesses, resources, making sure the nation is defended adequately, that it's financially secure etc.
The problem as usual is the motivation... this is what ultimately led to David's punishment... David was motivated by pride; he wanted to take the census to satisfy his own ego, to prove to himself how great he was, how powerful and secure... rather than relying on God for his security and confidence.

It's so easy for us to fall into this same trap... when we want to start a new program or organise an event  how often do we start by looking at our resources, efficiency, what people want or expect from us...as I said earlier this in itself is not a bad thing... it's often responsible and necessary but we have to make sure we don't remove God from the equation and forget to prioritise His will over our own...we must always be ready and willing to hear and act on God's voice rather than our own.

So what now?
Hearing God's voice is not always easy... learning to trust Him above our own thoughts, worries, concerns and 'practical' considerations is even harder...but not impossible... That's what discipleship is all about!

Christianity is not about popularity or doing what the world expects of us... It's about connecting to God and doing what He expects of us however strange and counter cultural that might be... that doesn't mean we shouldn't grow, move with the times and become the welcoming, servant hearted, forgiving and loving Church we can be...but we should do this not because the world tells us to but because God leads us and calls us to be better and more like Him than we are.

Check out this old post about what the Church really is, and what it should be:
'The Church is...'

And what the Church, in particular my own church, means to me:
'A Place to call home'

All this aside...if you just want to fill your church building and get some more money in the weekly offering... maybe you should refer to the tips at the start of this post, start a social club and remove God from the equation...on the other hand if you're willing to trust God and put in the time and effort to build yourself and the kingdom then it's going to be a long road but worth it to become the renewed, faithful Church that it is God's call and our duty to become...

"Lord of the Church, we pray for our renewing:

Christ over all, our undivided aim;

Fire of the Spirit, burn for our enduring,

Wind of the Spirit, fan the living flame!

We turn to Christ amid our fear and failing,

The will that lacks the courage to be free,

The weary labours, all but unavailing,

To bring us nearer what a church should be."

- Salvation army songbook 817

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'Christ's ultimate boot camp!' A study of Mark 6

The world and the Church we live and serve in today is shaped by the heroes and champions of the past, and those who have inspired, influenced, guided and trained them...

12 such heroes answered Christ's call to serve, to follow, to leave all that they had and loved behind, and enrol in a lifelong and life changing Leadership training course...Christ's ultimate boot camp!

Throughout their service and collective ministry and mission they would be tested, tempted, threatened and in the case of most of them...Executed!

Ultimately because of their commitment and training; and the guidance, strength and example of Christ they would become an unstoppable force that built the Church and shaped our lives and worship today...with one notable exception they would become a team of true heroes.

"The Avengers. It's what we call ourselves. Sorta like a team. Earth's Mightiest Heroes type thing." - Tony Stark/Iron Man (Avengers Assemble)

- Building the team

Mark 6 is a great example of Jesus' Leadership and team building style...this was not the distant and unapproachable 'boss' barking orders, or the micro managing, over the shoulder nit picker, or even the kind but ineffectual 'friend to all' telling the Apostles what they wanted to hear.

Here was a true leader, with real authority, who saw value and potential in those He led. He was of course not afraid of getting His hands dirty... Of being a powerful and active force, serving, healing and teaching and doing all the wonderful, amazing and miraculous things He did. But Christ knew the benefits and necessity of building His team, training, guiding and preparing them to continue the work He began, to remain faithful, strong and effective after His earthly ministry was completed.

"Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other" John F Kennedy

- On the job training

The beginning of Mark 6, we see Jesus gathering His Apostles around Him and putting them to work...clear instructions and guidance, but it was clear that this was their mission, their chance to fly the nest and show what they were made of.

"Calling the Twelve to Him, He began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. These were His instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff - no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them." - Mark 6:7-13

After returning from this mission, feeling pumped up, excited about what they've achieved, filling Jesus in  on all their success (verse 30). Jesus has a new challenge:

"Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognised them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things. By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to Him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to Him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” “How many loaves do you have?” He asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five - and two fish.” Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand." - Mark 6:31-44

They may not have succeeded in the challenge Jesus set them to feed the 5000 but they did get to learn some great lessons about compassion, teaching and service...so maybe not a great victory for them but still solid training and teaching... They were still far from complete and very much works in progress. And there is certainly value for the Apostles and us in this kind of training and teaching.

"It's all to do with the training: you can do a lot if you're properly trained." - Queen Elizabeth II

- Ultimate team building exercise

Verse 45 onwards is an account of Jesus walking on the water:

"Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, He went up on a mountainside to pray. Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,"

The thing that jumped out at me while reading this passage recently during a leadership training course was Jesus' insistence on the Disciples getting into the boat alone, while He watched on...perhaps the Apostles needed a crisis like the storm, to learn to work together, to become the team that they would need to be, to succeed in the days, weeks, months and years ahead...Jesus knew the benefits of experience and of trial by fire.

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do." - Eleanor Roosevelt

If you've seen the first Avengers movie you'll remember that all the heroes needed a reason and focus to put aside squabbles and arguments to work together... In that film it was the death of a mutual friend that inspired them to be what the world needed them to be...exactly what was on the horizon for the Apostles.

But of course they were never really alone...Jesus stood watching, waiting to see how they worked together, what they'd learnt about teamwork and faith...when He was needed He was there...they didn't have to go to where He was, He met them right where they were and right where they needed them.

Developing ourselves and developing future leaders is vital for the future and success of the Church. Discipleship, learning and development must be a priority. I recently posted about growing future leaders, based on my experience on a training weekend.

http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/how-to-grow-leader.html?m=1

This used the tagline which I used in that post and really is an appropriate end and final challenge in this post:

"To be led more by Jesus, to lead more like Jesus, to lead more to Jesus."







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'I'm a Christian... Get me out of here': Part 4: Shoulder to Shoulder

I've finally gotten around to finishing off this 4 part series 'I'm a Christian...Get me out of here' or 'Surviving the Church'

Here's 'Shoulder to Shoulder'

The previous posts in this series have all focused on our differences; our different backgrounds, opinions etc

Part 1- 'Thrown together': http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-1.html?m=1

Part 2- 'Bigger than Jesus': http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/im-christian-get-me-out-of-here-part-2.html?m=1

Part 3- 'The one and only you': http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-3.html?m=1

The most important thing about our relationships with each other as Christians, is not what divides us, but the things that bind us together, our mission, purpose & the God that call's and loves us all.

There's nothing new in any of this I suppose...but that begs the question: why do Christians spend so much time and effort fighting and arguing with each other?

The obvious example for me to look at, is the lives and ministry's of the 12 disciples....12 guys, 12 opinions & 12 hard heads.

In  Luke's Gospel there are 2 separate arguments about the same thing...who will be the greatest; (Luke 9:46 & Luke 22:24).
The second argument during the last supper itself... Twice Jesus has to play referee between these guys, arguing about petty stuff.

Well, at least we're in good company when we act petty, if the Church fathers, chosen and called personally by Christ couldn't resist arguing then I suppose we shouldn't be too hard on ourselves.

The challengevi believe, l is to do better, to evolve beyond silly arguments. To be more than we are, to grow and become more Christ-like.

I don't know if anybody has seen this post online about 25 bizarre and supposedly true reasons why people have left the Church/had huge arguments, but I thought it might be worth sharing... Funny, yes but a little sad as well:

1. Argument over the appropriate length of the worship pastor's beard.

2. Fight over whether or not to build a children's playground or to use the land for a cemetery.

3. A deacon accusing another deacon of sending an anonymous letter, and deciding to settle the matter in the parking lot.

4. A church dispute of whether or not to install restroom stall dividers in the women's restroom.

5. A church argument and vote to decide if a clock in the worship center should be removed.

6. A 45-minute heated argument over the type of filing cabinet to purchase: black or brown; 2, 3, or 4 drawers.

7. A fight over which picture of Jesus to put in the foyer.

8. A petition to have all church staff clean shaven.

9. A dispute over whether the worship leader should have his shoes on during the service.

10. A big church argument over the discovery that the church budget was off $0.10. Someone finally gave a dime to settle the issue.

11. A dispute in the church because the Lord's Supper had cran/grape juice instead of grape juice.

12. Business meeting arguments about whether the church should purchase a weed eater or not. It took two business meetings to resolve.

13. Arguments over what type of green beans the church should serve.

14. Two different churches reported fights over the type of coffee. In one of the churches, they moved from Folgers to a stronger Starbucks brand. In the other church, they simply moved to a stronger blend. Members left the church in the latter example.

15. Major conflict when the youth borrowed a crockpot that had not been used for years.

16. An argument on whether the church should allow deviled eggs at the church meal.

17. An argument over who has the authority to buy postage stamps for the church.

18. A disagreement over using the term "potluck" instead of "pot blessing"

19. A church member was chastised because she brought vanilla syrup to the coffee server. It looked too much like liquor.

20. An argument in church over who has access to the copy machine.

21. Some church members left the church because one church member hid the vacuum cleaner from them. It resulted in a major fight and split.

22. An argument over whether to have gluten-free communion bread or not.

23. A dispute over whether the church should allow people to wear black t-shirts, since black is the color of the devil.

24. A fight over whether or not to sing "Happy Birthday" each week.

25. An argument over whether the fake, dusty plants should be removed from the podium.

Here's the link to the original article: https://www.google.co.uk/amp/www.christianpost.com/amp/25-silly-things-church-members-fight-over-149956/

I don't want to be too negative but I think it's important that we are aware of where we fall short so we can learn from our mistakes and move forward.

Sometimes however, we do work together, we do put our differences aside and work together... The result can change lives.

In my hometown of Coventry, I have been involved with a winter night shelter programme. This only works because a group of churches of which mine is one, have got together to host a group of homeless people on one night of the week during the winter months, this means, a bed, a meal a friendly ear etc.
It is not perfect, perhaps it could do more. But it is changing lives and serving the needs of our community in a practical way...there is a mixture of denominations, attitudes, outlooks and ideas but together we have achieved what each individual Church would struggle to accomplish.
Standing Shoulder to Shoulder we are stronger than any of us would be by ourselves.

7 Churches and religious groups, plus extras that provided cover, volunteers, food etc have made a real difference to their local communities.
12 angry, confused, argumentative human and imperfect men built the Church.

Imagine what you, your Church, and the wider, worldwide Church could do if we truly put aside our arguments, weaknesses, backgrounds and pettiness aside and stood 'Shoulder to Shoulder'.







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Reflections of a 'Part time Pete'

Salvation Army Songsters are a unique breed...talented, Spiritual, faithful and above all committed... And then there's 'Part time Pete'.

I have had the undeserved honour of being a member of my local Songster brigade (Choir) for a little over a year. This seemed a natural time to reflect and take stock of the journey so far.

I have probably earned the nickname and reputation that has been given to me (by a certain songster who will remain nameless) as 'part time Pete'. not through choice I should probably add...work commitments limit how often I can make practice, and if I'm honest some lack of organisation on my part...and there was that one 'gig' I missed because I fell asleep... But the less said about that the better!

As I look back over the last year or so, I think about the lessons I have learnt about the group and about myself, I am struck by the realisation of how much each individual brings to the group, and how without each one the group would be that much poorer and weaker. I think also about how much I have gained and learnt and the inspiration and encouragement that comes from being with such an amazing group of people.

If I'm honest, I do sometimes question my place and value as part of this group...I suppose I should remember to take my own advice from my last blog post...'The one and only you!':

http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-3.html?m=1

The obvious highlight for me came right at the beginning of this first year as a songster...our visit as a brigade to Bolton Salvation Army Corps. Great weekend, great people and great fellowship... But a great deal of work!

Things brings me to something that Salvationists will recognise and probably look on with at least some degree of fondness...Billeting!
I don't really know how this started, but it has become a tradition that members of visiting musical sections are hosted overnight by members of the Corps (Church) they are visiting.
I must say I was very blessed with lovely, caring and generous hosts...although I have heard 'interesting' stories about what can happen... If you have any stories to share, feel free to use the comments section.

What have I learnt in my first year?
Well, I've learnt that Spirituality and practice go hand in hand, I've learnt just how hard Songsters have to work, I've learnt that the strength and potential of the group is in the individuals that make up the group, that love, support and encourage each other and bring their own individuality, eccentricities and gifts to it.

So...a year on, still undeserving, still a little out of place and still a 'Part time Pete'. But still Inspired, encouraged and lifted up by this amazing group that I am honoured to be part of.

"He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:10-11

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'I'm a Christian... Get me out of here!' Part 2: Bigger than Jesus!

This is Part 2 of a planned 4 part series 'I'm a Christian, Get me out of here.' Or Surviving the Church.

It's been a few weeks since part 1: 'Thrown together' http://inspiredbyfaith88.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/im-christianget-me-out-of-here-part-1.html?m=1

Just a quick recap...basically it was about how we all attend Church for a variety of reasons and from a variety of backgrounds, and must some how learn to put our differences and squabbles aside to work together for the common mission and purpose of the Church.

So...Bigger than Jesus.
I've been thinking about how the Church (and us as individuals) can sometimes be...shall we say less than Christ-like...

How does this affect the mission and purpose of the Church? What do people think of when they hear the word 'Church'? Does Jesus immediately spring to mind? Or do they think of squabbles, abuse, ineffectiveness, cucumber sandwiches, judgement? Has the Church itself and it's shortcomings become so prevalent that they have obscured Jesus...have we in essence become bigger (or at least more prominent) than Jesus.

As I've been writing this post a tragic event has happened in London...a catastrophic fire has destroyed a large block of flats in West London...the cause is currently unknown but many people have lost their homes, still more have been evacuated from the surrounding areas and tragically several people have lost their lives with many more critically injured...there have of course been. many reactions... Sorrow, anger, heartbreak but also compassion, love and self-sacrifice. People have opened their homes and their hearts to those affected; the emergency services have of course risen to the challenge and performed above and beyond the call of duty...many Churches and faith groups have mobilised as well; providing shelter, clothes, food, money, emergency contact centres etc, they have prominently displayed their love and compassion for those in need in their communities. All denominations, religions have stood together to do what they can to ease the suffering around them. They are making a real tangible difference to the situation...They are taking Christ in word and deed, and proclaiming that Jesus is bigger than them, bigger than their individual squabbles and politics (and even not knowing the churches I can pretty much guarantee that they have these issues) and of course that Jesus is bigger than this terrible and tragic event.

Some Churches, have a clear and strong history, and of course traditions (beyond our shared history) that define and focus where they have come from and where they are going. The challenge is to remember the past, where we've come from, the lessons we have leant along the way and of course look to the future, to new challenges and victories but while also remembering that Jesus is first and infinitely more important than anything else... Bigger than service, bigger than politics, bigger than squabbles, bigger than who's sitting in who's seat, bigger than traditions, bigger than music styles, bigger than the flower rota, bigger than the leader, bigger than all distractions.

So remember that Jesus comes first; always and forever. Remember His place and our place, and of course remember that what we focus on and prioritise is the essence of who we are.

Will we be a Church and community that reflects and follows the mission of Christ... A mission of love and service? Or will we obscure Him, cloak ourselves in politics and squabbles, hide Him away from those that need Him?

As always the choice is yours!

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:9-11



Look out for Part 3: 'Uniquely Called / The one and only you' coming soon.







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'I'm a Christian...Get me out of here' Part 1: Thrown together

Sometimes being a Christian and belonging to a fellowship can feel like we've been thrown together, it can be trying and frustrating and can make us want to turn on our heels and run away screaming out: 'I'm a Christian...get me out of here!!!'

Most of us will either have watched or at least be aware the reality TV show 'I'm a celebrity get me out of here' if not, the basic premise is that a group of celebrities are placed together in the middle of a jungle away from civilisation with basic food, facilities and no contact with the outside world. They have no previous contact with each other and are forced to work together to cook, empty the very basic and unpleasant toilet and complete tasks to earn food and rewards. Obviously they don't always get on...arguments, stress, aggravation, pettiness, can take over and bring cooperation and compromise to a standstill... Sound familiar?

Everyone who attends a particular church does so, for a variety of reasons...geographical considerations, a family who attends, a deep rooted belief in what that particular Church practices or believes, perhaps a fallout or argument from another church. In my particular circumstance it was a girlfriend (now a wife) who first invited me to my Church.

We also want and need different things from our church; some seek teaching, a challenge, safety, comfort friendships, to be part of a community or something bigger than ourselves, some seek inspiration, an outlet for creativity, or perhaps just a place to belong.

However we arrive and for whatever reason we remain...we're stuck with each other! We have to balance our personalities, desires, agendas, hopes, dreams etc while also trying to work together to keep the Church working, moving forward and completing our mission to bring people to Christ. Like the TV show 'I'm a celebrity' we do tend to struggle from time to time.

This is the first in a planned four part series: 'I'm a Christian, get me out of here!' Or 'surviving the Church'

I want to give encouragement that if you find Church membership difficult or stressful, if you've ever thought about just walking away, that you are not alone. And I want to try and help give you strength and confidence as we all try and navigate, survive and thrive in a minefield of politics, unspoken rules and expectations surrounded by people who are self-serving, lost, and a little broken... And that means all of us.

But regardless... Here we are, all thrown together, from different backgrounds, ideals, experiences, personalities etc. One purpose, one mission, but a ridiculous amount of different ideas of how to get there. We are not always going to get on, we will fall out; sometimes spectacularly, we will act childish and immature and occasionally play games and point score... But we are all far from perfect, when thrown together we have to learn to deal with all this and each other, sometimes this will mean being the bigger person, looking past each other's faults, and making allowances for each other's weaknesses, and of course asking each other for forgiveness when we mess up.


Here's one of my favourite pieces of music, which seems appropriate here:

Melbourne staff band playing "They shall come from the east" really worth a listen.

https://youtu.be/4nbNeLWmo-o

"They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
Both the rich and the poor,
the despised, the distressed,
They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.
And none will ask what they have been
Provided that their robes are clean;
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.

They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
To be met by their Father and welcomed and blessed,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.
The black, the white, the dark, the fair,
Your colour will not matter there;
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God.

They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west,
And sit down in the Kingdom of God;
Out of great tribulation to triumph and rest
They'll sit down in the Kingdom of God.
From every tribe and every race,
All men as brothers shall embrace;
They shall come from the east,
they shall come from the west.
And sit down in the Kingdom of God."

Look out for part 2: 'Bigger than Jesus'.

Update: Links to parts 2-4

- Part 2: Bigger than Jesus

- Part 3: The one and only you

- Part 4: Shoulder to Shoulder

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Legacy of Death, Destiny of Faith

On 9th March 1966 The Blind Beggar pub in East London witnessed a brutal murder of gangster George Cornell in a gangland shooting by the now infamous Ronnie Kray, one half of the notorious Kray Twins, both violent criminals who terrorised London during the 1960's.

In 1968 both were sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 30 years for the murders of Cornell and Jack McVitie (another gangster) this  was the longest sentence ever passed at the Old Bailey (Central Criminal Court, London) for murder

Over 50 years later this pub is still famous as the site of this brutal murder, but there is another lesser known claim to fame of this pub.

William Booth founder of the Salvation Army preached his first open-air sermon 101 years before this murder outside the pub in 1865, which led to him forming the East London Christian Mission, which later became the Salvation Army. A statue of Booth still stands on this spot in memory of this man who was unafraid to stand out from the crowd, to dedicate his life to serving and rescuing his fellow man.

So we have two men, two defining events separated by 100 years; one an act of hate, the other an act of faith...but both events defined each man in their own ways. The Krays sunk deeper into violence and criminal activities and as above paid for it with 30 years in prison. Booth however, when faced with the poverty and need of London's East End found inspiration.
In his own words:

'When I saw those masses of poor people, so many of them evidently without God or hope in the world, and found that they so readily and eagerly listened to me, following from Open-Air Meeting to tent, and accepting, in many instances, my invitation to kneel at the Saviour’s feet there and then, my whole heart went out to them. I walked back to our West-End home and said to my wife:

‘O Kate, I have found my destiny! These are the people for whose Salvation I have been longing all these years. As I passed by the doors of the flaming gin-palaces tonight I seemed to hear a voice sounding in my ears, “Where can you go and find such heathen as these, and where is there so great a need for your labours?”

And there and then in my soul I offered myself and you and the children up to this great work. Those people shall be our people, and they shall have our God for their God.’

I suppose all this is the point... What kind of legacy do you want to leave on the World?
Do you want to be like the Kray Twins...leaving an infamous legacy of violent crimes and cruelty.
Or be like Booth and leave a legacy of service and faith that now spans over 150 years and 127 countries.

Most of us will never know the effect our actions will have the long run, or the lasting legacy we will leave. But it is incredible to think how far the gospel has travelled, how many have been reached directly on indirectly by men and women who listen to God and give their lives to serve Him. People like Booth, Billy Graham, Joyce Meyer, John & Charles Wesley...the list goes on, and each of these people simply serve others and preach/preached God's word, safe in the knowledge that He will take their ministries and their efforts and use them as He sees fit.

All we can do is make the most of the time given to us, and decide wether we want to serve or be served. To search and struggle for our own selfish ends, or serve God and each other.

We are part of an ongoing legacy, going all the way back to Jesus Himself... We are walking in His footsteps by spreading His Word and Love, by passing on what we have learned. Let's not be the ones to drop the ball here, let's keep this legacy rolling on, who knows what fruit our small simple acts of faith and obedience will bear, who will be reached that without us may not be. A simple act of faith and kindness could inspire the next William Booth or Billy Graham without us ever knowing.




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You can take the Christian out of the church; and maybe you should... (John 17:18)

'As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.' - John 17:18

For a while now, I've been wondering if perhaps in the church we have had our priorities a little skewed in regards to attracting new members to our congregations....we like to organise many different programmes and initiatives designed to make ourselves attractive to those from outside our church families...we try anything from musical programmes and 'messy church' maybe car washing events... The list is endless.

I'm not saying all these are bad things... Far from it, these ideas can give people a reason to enter our churches and expose them to the love of God through encounters with Christians; but is there a possibility that we have begun to use the church as an excuse to lock ourselves away from the world?...I can certainly understand why we sometimes want to do this, this world can be a hostile place for Christians, people sometimes treat us like there's something wrong with us or that we're deluded trouble makers that don't fit in...people can be deliberately disrespectful or hurtful sometimes we can be mocked or insulted; but should we be surprised at this?

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.
Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.' - John 15:18-20

So we may understand why we are sometimes treated badly; and of course we want to guard ourselves against it, we have built these great churches that inspire us and make us feel accepted and safe, but have we become too safe, too guarded and too shut away? Have we somehow managed to isolate ourselves from the very people that need us, and to whom we are commissioned, and empowered to reach out to, have we begun to unintentionally hide the light of God from those who need it? Have our churches become fortresses, which shun outsiders? Have we developed our own traditions and languages that make us into a 'members only club' that makes no sense to others?

I heard the metaphor at a training event last week of the church being like a betting shop...I know where my local betting shop is, I walk past it most days; but to look in the window is to see a strange world that I don't understand or have any interest in, I wouldn't know what to do if I went in, I would feel lost and out of place...is that how we appear to outsiders???

So what's my point in all this? Well it's not really a point, more of a ramble or just something to ponder... Have we spent too much time trying to get outsiders into church and not enough time and effort trying to get Christians out of church and on to the streets and into the hearts of communities where people are? Perhaps we need to create programmes and events that encourage us to leave our safe fortresses and fulfill our mission to be 'sent out' instead of being shut away...

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