Refresh: What does a Healthy Church Look Like – 12 Indicators
There’s an old quip that says, “If you find a perfect church, don’t join. Why ruin a good thing!” Churches are filled with people in all their wonderful complexity. But what does a healthy church look like? We sometimes tell stories of sad failures – but it is as well to underline what we should look for. This post from 3 May 2016 unpacks 12 signs of church health. Refresh: What does a healthy church look like – 12 indicators. We’ve had a few posts on churchless faith and the journey towards becoming de-churched. Underneath has been the assumption that the...
Read MoreFrom Illusion to Prayer: Facing our Limitations
Is there a control freak tucked away inside of you? If so, you probably try to be subtle about it – after all, who wants to be the anxious micro-manager, determined that everything gets done their way? Beneath it there is often a deeper anxiety, the fear that everything depends upon you and that if you loosen your grip on things, they may quickly get outside of your control. But what if you realised a deeper truth, that the feeling of being in control is at best an illusion? Rather than trigger you into panic, what if this realisation opened a door to deeper prayer and trust? This is...
Read MoreRefresh: Why Theodosius vs Ambrose really matters…
Even if you aren’t naturally interested in the history of the church, this incident from c390 is likely to impress you. It set the stage for church-state dialogue for centuries to come, and remains pertinent today. It was originally posted on the blog in 2015. Refresh: Why Theodosius vs Ambrose really matters… Heard about the dispute between the Roman Emperor Theodosius and Bishop Ambrose of Milan back in 390? I thought not… Before you yawn a little too obviously and quote Henry Ford’s ‘history is bunk’, let me assure you that this case finds its way onto the pages of this...
Read MoreFrom Hostility to Hospitality: A Necessary Journey
Last week I looked at the journey from Loneliness to Solitude, the first of the three movements towards spiritual growth outlined in Henri Nouwen’s inspiring book, Reaching Out. Today we look at the second transformation – a journey described by Nouwen as being from hostility to hospitality. Perhaps like me, your first response to this invitation is a defensive, “No, I don’t think this one has anything in it for me. I’m not an aggressive person, and what’s more, I like a wide range of people (I genuinely do), and my natural posture towards others tends to...
Read MoreRefresh: Is Grey the New Green?
Since this post originally appeared in 2016 I’ve entered the grey brigade, so read with some interest what I wrote when I was still in my fifties! Is Grey the New Green? On a recent flight back from New Zealand I got to watch The Intern. To be honest it is largely forgettable, but in my opinion it did have one memorable line – ‘grey is the new green’ – that in explanation of the companies decision to employ elderly interns as a gesture of social responsibility and as a way of recycling former abilities. What do you think? Is grey the new green? It is becoming an...
Read MoreFrom Loneliness to Solitude: Practicing the Presence of God
In his wonderful book, Reaching Out, Henri Nouwen suggests there are three key movements in the spiritual life. There is the movement from loneliness to solitude; from hostility to hospitality; and from illusion to prayer. Nouwen views each as an important part of our journey of spiritual ascent, the goal of which is union with God. The first explores our relationship with our own self, the second our relationship with others and the third our relationship with God. I recently preached on the first movement, and have been thinking about it since. Here are some of my thoughts on the journey...
Read MoreRefresh: And Every Step an Arrival – The Gift of the Present Moment
Today’s Refresh post, originally published on 12 Jan 2016, explores the thought provoking Rilke line, “and every step an arrival” which serves as an important reminder to note the present moment and embrace it as a God inhabited space. Refresh: And Every Step an Arrival – The Gift of the Present Moment I am presently reading Eugene Peterson’s wonderful biography The Pastor which has on its front cover Rilke’s memorable line ‘every step an arrival’. It reflects Peterson’s own conviction that when all is said and done, the work of a pastor is not...
Read MoreTo Tend and to Keep: The Joy of Nurturing and Protecting
I’m part of AVENIR Leadership Institute and was recently in Brisbane helping a client devise their strategic plan for the next 5 years. Their CEO, Matt Vandepeer, started one of our days with a beautiful devotion based on Genesis 2:15, “the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” The two key words struck me as deeply significant. To “tend” and to “keep”. There is both a nurturing and a protective part. Even in paradise there was work to be done (or is it especially in paradise there was work to be done –...
Read MoreRefresh: Adam Raised a Cain – When our Children Break our Heart.
Today’s Refresh post will touch a raw nerve for some. Nothing impacts us like our family and children. When things go wrong, it is more than heart breaking. I hope that this post from February 2016 is of some small help. Refresh: Adam Raised a Cain – When our Children Break our Heart Don’t know if you are familiar with the Bruce Springsteen classic, Adam Raised a Cain, with its haunting closing lines, ‘Lost but not forgotten, from the dark heart of a dream, Adam raised a Cain.’ For those less familiar with the biblical story behind these lyrics, the song...
Read MoreOn proceeding as the way opens…
You might know the lovely Quaker saying, “Proceed as the way opens.” In a risk averse era, one where we want absolute clarity and know that we are liable if we forget to read the small print, this is a gentle prompt to accept the ambiguity of life, and to remember that everything isn’t known in advance, but that we must trust the process, or better still, trust the steady hand of God, and proceed as the way opens. Trouble is, this often requires patience. The way doesn’t always open as quickly or as obviously as we would like. The dilemma is not new. Ask Gideon, who...
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