Archive for September, 2010

Costa Tuesdays

by Hugh on September 28, 2010 in Faith, Life with No comments

“Like Ronseal, Costa Tuesdays does exactly what it says on the tin”

We’ve started up a new meeting… meeting at Costa Coffee in George Street, right in the heart of Hove… each Tuesday evening, from 7.30pm, we’re taking over Costa Coffee.

So if you’re down in Hove, come along, grab a coffee, meet some new people… we’re also going to be opening up the Bible together, looking at the “Vintage Jesus” as we journey through the Gospel of Luke.

We met for the first time last week and thought about how Costa Tuesdays, and even more so, Luke’s Gospel is great for everyone, whether you’re a Christian or a sceptic, there’s something here for you…

Check out the website link for more info or just come and pop in on a Tuesday night…

Reaching 18-30s

by Hugh on September 14, 2010 in Faith with No comments

Want to do some more thinking about generic vs. age-specific ministries… happy to carry on discussion here. But there still remains the question of how do you reach out to those in their 18-30s and particularly thinking about those 3 negative characteristics of 18-30s which make them hard to reach, according to Mike Pilavachi:

Consumerism
Individualism
A Culture of Entitlement

This maybe a bit of a tangent, but I think Derren Brown (an unlikely source) may be able to teach us something… recently he performed a show on Channel 4 called ‘Hero at 30,000 feet‘ – the basic synopsis is that he would take ‘an average Joe’, in this case a depressed 20-something and turn them, through a serious of physiological experiences into a hero.

Brown used experiences to help the man control his fears, to encourage him to take risks, to see the potential of what he could achieve, and the benefits that come from being proactive in life.

Now I’m not suggesting that we use Brown’s methods, but doesn’t the Gospel do all these things anyway?? I wonder whether part of the reason the reason churches are missing 18-30s is that as churches we’re fearful, we shy away from taking risks for the gospel and are fairly passive.

Mike Pilavachi and others highlighted that part of the problem is that the young people of the Soul Survivor generation were told they’d be History Makers… and nothing happened… I think the potential was there, it’s always there… but I fear generally the church isn’t ready or willing to take the risks and opportunities for the Gospel that should make the church the most cutting-edge, most innovative, most exciting group of people to be a part of…

I wonder if too often we choose the safe, easy passage which never generates the excitement and vision to draw followers…?

Missing Generation

by Hugh on September 12, 2010 in Faith with 5 Comments

This last week I had the privilege to pop down into central Brighton and have lunch with and listen to some local church leaders along with input from Mike Pilavachi. Usually I find these events to be pretty awkward, but it wasn’t too bad! Admittedly the discussions and contributions from local folk were hardly ground-breaking, and Pilavachi admitted he didn’t have the answers, but his insights were helpful.

He highlighted 3 problems which characterise the 18-30s age group:

Consumerism
Individualism
A Culture of Entitlement

He spoke through these points and explained how a big problem that works itself out from these is one of commitment, as 18-30s wait for a better job, a better relationship, and a better church.

In my mind there are at least 2 problems we face as a church to minister among this age group:

Firstly, Identity Crisis… who is an 18-30? Student, Postgraduate, Worker, Unemployed, Single, Married, Parent… if you’re a parent you’re probably counted under families ministry, students may be counted under a specific ministry too… who are we trying to reach as 18-30s?
Secondly, we have a problem of assimilating Christians into a church family… once you leave the bubble of the youth group, the student group etc. you’re left with the daunting prospect of trying to make it in the big wide world of ‘normal church’… and if you don’t get married and have babies then you’ll never graduate to families ministry.

Here’s the point… I wonder if the whole concept of age-specific / life-stage-specific ministry groups are helpful for the growth of a church family as a whole…?

Burn a Koran

by Hugh on September 9, 2010 in Current Affairs, Faith, Politics with 3 Comments

I’ve got a Koran. I’ve also got a barbecue. The question is should I burn it on Saturday? I’ve read some of it, it’s not the best read, it’s quite confusing… some might say it’s just some gnostic twists on the Bible stories… or the rants of a man in a cave… whatever it is, it’s not great, but burning it seems a bit OTT!

So this Pastor guy, Terry Jones, has been labelled a fundamentalist, someone who doesn’t speak for America or for Christianity. Actually I think he represents more opinion than the politicians would like to admit… having said that this is really just a big publicity stunt and this ‘pastor’ does need to ask what his motives are, because it really aint serving the Gospel! But it’s more than that… this is really dangerous for Christians round the world… it shouldn’t be happening.

At the same time it should be happening. Why shouldn’t he burn some books? Why are we more worried about this man burning books than we are about the people who want to burn people in response? Christians get burned and beaten and killed every day around the world by Islamic extremists… but the no-one cares…

How many times has the American flag been burned? Or effigies of Western leaders? Although I don’t agree with Jones’ actions, I agree with his right to do it, and would want to protect that right… I’m more worried about the people who think that violence is an appropriate response? I thought 9/11 taught us the dangers with Islam… if not 7/7 or the Danish Cartoons should of… when will the Western world and it’s Guardian readers wake up and smell the danger?!

Martyrs Memorial

by Hugh on September 8, 2010 in Faith, Life with 2 Comments

Have just been to visit a good friend, a true leader who’s moved to Oxford to train to be a Vicar. As we explored we found the Martyrs Memorial…

“To the Glory of God, and in grateful commemoration of His servants, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, Prelates of the Church of England, who near this spot yielded their bodies to be burned, bearing witness to the sacred truths which they had affirmed and maintained against the errors of the Church of Rome, and rejoicing that to them it was given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake; this monument was erected by public subscription in the year of our Lord God, MDCCCXLI”.

Ps. If anyone is able to explain why Magdalen is pronounced Maudalen, please write, or just leave a comment. Ta.

Borough Market

by Hugh on September 7, 2010 in Life with No comments

Next week I head back to Cornhill to start Year 2 of the training course. This means I switch to ‘goin up the smoke’ on a Thursday and Friday. This is good news.

But more than just being pleased to be going back, pleased too that I’ll now be able to enjoy the delights of Borough Market.

It looks good fun… but it just looks dead on a Monday and Tuesday!

I love to explore new places. Pretend I’m a tourist. I love markets too, hustle and bustle, fun and quirky bits… love fresh food, fruit and veg, smell of fresh bakery mmm… mmm..

Honeymoon Reading

by Hugh on September 6, 2010 in Books, Faith, Life with No comments

While on Honeymoon I committed to reading two books, it was a slow start, but as I got into reading more, I found myself able to relax more… don’t know if there is a connection…

So I started off with John Piper’s ‘A Sweet and Bitter Providence‘… “sex, race and the sovereignty of God in the book of Ruth”… If you’ve listened to Piper’s sermons on the book of Ruth it’s basically those in book form, but it’s a wonderful resource to have it as a book!

Piper’s main theme running through the book is how God is sovereign and while his providential plans are always for our good, sometimes they seem bitter and sometimes sweet, as Naomi knew too well. As he takes us through the story he picks out the themes of race, sex, interracial marriage, what it means to belong to God’s people, and His Sovereignty.

This book is great because it works on two levels and everywhere in between… it serves as a great devotional book, applying the story and truths from the story of Ruth to our own lives and experience… at the same time it also serves as a basic commentary on the book, while devotional in feel, Piper is still rigorous with the text, digging up hidden gems and showing the depth of the story. Well worth having a read.

The next book is slightly different. ‘The Breeze of the Centuries‘ is the second offering from UCCF theology guru Mike Reeves. I don’t usually bother with introductions, but it was interesting to read and find out the reason for the title… a quote from CS. Lewis, which translated basically says “we need to listen to and learn from people in the past, the breeze of the centuries…”

Reeves takes us through a short biography and the background to the works of some early Christian theologians, people like Polycarp, Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Athanasius, Augustine and more…

You get a real feel for the people and their situations, and it’s great to be introduced to authors writing so soon after Jesus. It’s really interesting to see how the early church fought against heresies and how actually there’s nothing new under the soon. Many of the controversies of the early church have seemingly been re-repeated under a different guise throughout church history. A great introduction to some giants of the early church… get it and read it!

Sermons on Genesis

by Hugh on September 4, 2010 in Talks with No comments

We’re preaching through Genesis 1-11 at my church at the moment. It’s been fun.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to preach two of these, chapter 1 and 5.

The thing I’ve found about the early chapters of Genesis is that once you’ve waded through the contentious issues and if not resolved them at least come to an informed opinion, they’re actually quite straight-forward to teach. There’s so much to say about the structure of the text, meaning of the Hebrew etc.

But I’ve found that it’s been really challenge to preach - not simply to preach Christ, but to make the connections clear, to show its relevance and to preach a message that doesn’t just inform the mind but provokes change in the heart…

Was thankful to Tim Neale, for his simple and profound reminder on Genesis 1.

Anyway… here are the two… Genesis 1 and Genesis 5