Look out!

Get ahead, look up!

How often have you found yourself, while out and about - particularly in a city - looking up and taking in what's above your head?

I realised some time ago that as I walk around I look down about 10-15 feet in front of where I'm walking. I look up only occasionally to make sure I'm heading in the correct direction. The crazy thing is I'm not on my own, and you'll find that most people do this do too. Check this out for yourself the next time you're walking down the street and just look at where the focus of most people's attention will be. Sure they'll look ahead every now and again, they may even look to the side to glance into a shop window (or over a hedge). But most of the time, it'll be a little way ahead looking slightly down.

The view from a coffee cup.

You've probably already noticed a rather worrying phenomenon in recent years of people looking at their mobile phones as they walk. In fact, a small number of apps have developed that use the camera of the phone, so the image from the camera becomes the background of the text or email that folks are reading. Supposedly this enables them to 'see' where they are going, while otherwise engaged!

This blog post isn't a rant about how smartphones are taking our attention away from the real world. Not at all, I love my iPhone. I appreciate the different ways in which I can connect to the world, including the virtual world, around me. However don't misunderstand me, I don't like this potentially dangerous way of walking the streets, but what amazes me is how people manage this feat of navigation with so few collisions. It's like our other senses begin to work harder as we get sucked into a world of emails, social media, and texts. Our ears pick up the noise of traffic growing louder as we approach a crossing. Our sense of smell detects new aromas so we know when we've entered a different space. And, although our forward vision in otherwise engaged, our peripheral vision is still active and alert taking in any potential hazards. Even the hairs on the skin of our face and hands sense change in the tiny air currents around us. We seem to be able to make little adjustments which our incredible brains quickly combine and process to avoid disaster...

It'll grow on you.

...or maybe it's simply the kindness and awareness of others who aren't looking at their phones to move out of the way! 

Maybe it's nothing to do with our senses then, or maybe a little of both?

Christians have access to something greater than our five senses, something that can lead and guide even when we are otherwise distracted - the Holy Spirit! As we navigate our way through life, we can rely on Him every step of the way if we choose to listen and obey. When we ask, He'll answer. When we're suffering, He can bring comfort. If we need help, He'll provide it, in lots of interesting, and sometimes unique, ways.

The signs are everywhere!

When I look back at my non-Christian life from my now believing perspective, I begin to see when His hand was holding mine. When my life was nudged in a different direction, when comfort came from unexpected places. I see the fingerprints of God all over it, setting me up to be the man I am today and doing the 'job' that He has called me to do. All the unique skills I've acquired over many years playing their part to help me through different phases and seasons.

What is amazing is that He hasn't stopped! Only this time I'm more aware, happy to let Him lead me where He will. Now I know I'm able to ask for whatever I need in Jesus name, and in His wisdom He'll provide. I can be the loving, caring husband; the protective and equipping dad; the thoughtful and influential leader, with Christ at my side all the way.

So while my focus maybe too much on other things at times, I know that He is with me guiding my steps.

"He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honour to his name." - Psalm 23:3

Tongue Twister

Since the beginning of this year, I have been taken with the idea of sharing your story with others. In fact, I've taken this on as our focus for the church and how we all can share our story, our testimony.

Our salvation story isn't just about the moment of deliverance through Jesus Christ. It isn't about repeating that moment over and over as if the brilliance of it will somehow bring others to Christ. In a few circumstances maybe a spectacular testimony will. However, I think the biggest impression on those around us (other than a spiritual slam-dunk by the Holy Spirit) will be the genuineness of our story and those people seeing the reality of our lives.

I remember once, before I became a Christian, having a lengthy conversation with my girlfriend at the time about her church and their use of the gifts of the Spirit. Out of nowhere came this, what seemed then an extraordinary conversation, about speaking in tongues. I remember thinking that I'd stepped into a cult and very seriously thought about ending the relationship there and then. (I didn't and she became my wife, you may be pleased to know, and I now have three amazing kids as well.)

Why did I react so badly to the idea of this particular gift of the Spirit?* The answer to this question, I don't think now, had anything to do with speaking in tongues. It was more the fact that speaking in tongues, along with other things of a charismatic nature, had blown away my long held assumptions of what Christianity is and what church should be like. At the moment of this conversation my biggest impression of the church, though false, was this: white men in white frocks chanting like monks with the occasional liturgical phrase thrown in. To be honest, I didn't even know the word 'liturgical' meant!

What I thought about church back then was probably quite similar to what a lot of people who haven't grown up around 'church' have. The only time they ever attend church is for marriages, christenings and funerals (hatch, match, dispatch!) with the occasional Christmas service thrown in every few years. Some folks may even only know Jesus as a swear word.

Our stories, therefore, must go before and beyond any salvation moment or period in our lives. What were we like before? Where do the connections with the person to whom your sharing your story appear, can they relate? Who are you now? What difference has Jesus made, and can this difference be seen the non-verbal part of your story? Has your life really changed or is the curse of hypocrisy evident? Hypocrisy is the biggest complaint thrown at the church and, quite justifiably, stops people taking Christianity seriously. The only way to combat this is for our lives to line up with our words.

So if you are a Christian, where are you sharing your story? Have you even thought about your story? Why not take the time to consider the journey you are on? You may even find that as you form your story in your mind that there are indeed things that don't line up with what you say, and this self-examination may help rectify the disconnect.

Our story of faith needs to be something we all can share with confidence and humbleness. Jesus commanded us to 'make disciples of all nations' and if we don't open our mouths and help others begin their individual journey how will we ever be able to fulfil this command?


(*There is a subtle irony in this post being about telling your story as I tell a story of getting freaked out by 'speaking' in tongues!)

"I love it when a plan comes together!"

At the start of 2014, I made a resolution to begin a Bible in One Year reading plan and stick with it. I'd tried this a number of times previously yet after a healthy start my commitment always began to wane. Slowly, but surely I found myself a number of days behind until in the end I lost the will to continue, feeling I couldn't catch up.

This year however was different, this year I didn't give up, and even though occasionally I found myself behind schedule, I made sure I took extra time to get back on track.

What was different this year? What kept me going?

I think it was simply the choice of plan. I went with The Bible in One Year from Holy Trinity Brompton (an Anglican church in London led by Nicky Gumbel). Holy Trinity Brompton are the same church group that heads up Alpha, a very successful course held by churches across the world as a way to introduce people to the Christian faith.

There was actually more to read with this plan that others I'd tried in the past. Nicky has a very substantial commentary / devotional section connected to each of the Bible verses. Quite often it would take more time to read these that it would the verses! But rather than being a distraction from Scripture I found it to be a wholly helpful way of understanding what you were about to read each day.

Truth be told I do have friends who struggle with plans like these and I understand why. It's not that they dislike reading the Bible, far from it, but rather I suspect the problem is the speed to which you are expected to work through each chapter and verse. There's no settling in, no going off on a tangent down a Scriptural rabbit hole - if you find yourself doing this then the whole exercise could become quite laden and 'heavy'. My advice is just to work on through.

As someone who would say they have never read through the Bible, in many respects I actually probably had over the years, just in bits here and there to help with my preaching, teaching or personal discovery. However, this way of doing things never quite brought the connection from one chapter to the other, particularly when it came to the Old Testament.

I liked the way the plan presented itself in terms of sections to read, which worked in this way: Old Testament - Psalm or Proverb - New Testament. So rather than a cover-to-cover where you start at Genesis, followed by Exodus, Leviticus, etc, and then finally finishing at Revelation, doing things this way keeps things fresh and different. This is particularly useful when you are finding a book quite hard to understand or 'get into'. Let me be straight with you here and tell you that I found Isaiah a struggle (I know, a number of you will have just gasped in shock!). It has a very prophetic nature which, although I fully appreciate, found very hard to absorb and to an extent also the book of Ezekiel (another gasp is allowed here too). On the other hand, I found the book of Daniel easier to journey through and appreciated the similar, but different perspectives of the books Kings and Chronicles.

Overall, and I hesitate to write this as it may sound over spiritual, but I do feel that I fed my soul over this last year. I now have within me the Words of God, which the Holy Spirit will help me call to mind when needed. There is also an enormous sense of accomplishment and strong feeling that, if possible, every Christian should attempt the same task. There may be other ways and means in which they also accomplish this, but the journey is worth it. I believe it gives a person a firm platform from which to begin other shorter more 'theme focused' plans in future.

What is important to remember in this whole exercise is that firstly, this is the inspired Word of God and fully deserves our attention and dedication to study and learn. Secondly, across the centuries and continents people have given their lives to bring us our modern translations. There are still many places around the world where even possessing a Bible can bring severe punishment and even death. Sacrifices have been made to get this awesome collection of books and letters into our hands, and I am extremely grateful that I live in a society where access to the Bible is free and unencumbered.

It's never too late to begin what could be an incredibly fulfilling journey. Why not start today?

A Small Black Box and a Flashing Red Light

I love the internet. No, really, I think I have a genuine deep affection for it.

If you look up the definition of love phrases like 'attractive qualities' and 'underlying oneness' are found as well as 'to like or desire enthusiastically' and 'treasured object'.

I thank Tim Berners Lee... God for it every day!

Okay I jest and I'm stretching the definition a little, but I reckon most of us would admit we are attracted to it. For the millions of us that own a smart phone why not monitor yourself for a day and see how often you pick it up to check your emails or read the news. Our desire to consume information means that we approach things like Facebook and Twitter quite passionately. How many times have you clicked a link someone's posted or commented and engaged in enthusiastic debate? And how about the oneness you feel with others who 'like' the same page as you? It's like you've all given each other a 'knowing wink' - metaphorically of course.

Certainly when we 'lose' the internet we can exhibit feelings of anxiety and disconnectedness, "we's haves lost our precioussss."

(Two things to note from that last paragraph: Firstly I find it quite amusing to suggest we have lost the internet. I mean where did you last see it? Looked under the bed? Is the internet just a small black box with a flashing red light that you could accidentally mislay? Secondly, that was quite a tenuous Gollum link, apologies.)

As Brits we tend to be a nation of contradiction. We love collectively supporting the underdog and then we aggressively knock them off the pedestal we've sat them on after they become a success. Or we vote continuously for the worst act on X-Factor, but then complain bitterly when their presence knocks out the genuinely talented one.

The same can be said for the internet and all stuff it brings with it. We love social media, we love access to 24/7 news, we love the videos of cute kittens and stupid dogs. (Well you might like the cute kittens, I take can take 'em or leave 'em.)

The World Wide Web has made the planet smaller.

Skype and the like enable us to connect with friends and family on a regular basis even when they live on the other side of the world. Justice movements begin online and work their way into the real world. We stand with others (in an internetty, ethereal kind of way) when Twitter spreads tweets of injustice, rebellion and even war.

And yet...

We hear those who say it's pulled us apart, that we spend more time looking at our smart-phones than we do our loved ones. Facebook has changed our definition of 'friend' into a mere acquaintance. Constant news and tweets have turned us into mindless information junkies desperate for our next fix. Easy access to pornography has altered expectations of sex, boys in particular are developing a distorted view of a healthy loving relationship.

To some extent this is true and the bit about porn too sad and too real to explore further here and there will always be a minority that take things too far. For me however the internet is truly, all things considered, a blessing to us all.

I run our church internet stuff - website, social media engagement etc and I've found it in the majority to be entirely beneficial. When someone is looking for a new church in Leeds or wanting to speak to someone so much of our initial connection now comes through our internet site or Facebook page. In fact a lot of our visitors we see on a Sunday or a Friday night (Encounter) have found us by searching first online. The phonebook, what's that?

Folks have been encouraged, uplifted and spurred on through social media posts (pictures in particular generate high engagement). Links and videos challenge and sharpen the inquisitive mind. Emails inform and maintain connection.

The internet is a tool and a tool used well will always produce an effective end result. So don't complain about it, don't push against, embrace it. Look at how it can enhance your life and acknowledge the benefit it brings to others. Get excited about it and see how you can use it to your advantage in a selfless and engaging way. It will never replace physical human interaction, but we are inherently social creatures made to be in relationship with one another and the internet allows us to maintain these in a very real way.

The internet - yep, I love it!

Ephesians 4:29 (The Message) - Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.