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It’s still not quite the end of November but today is the first sunday in Advent. The four sundays leading up to Christmas are traditionally a time to pause from the rush of preparations and packagings and reflect on the true christmas story (if you need a refresher try this version). Part of me is already resenting christmas, the pressure to spend money on presents, the haggling with families for eating arrangements, are wearing out my patience and good will! All set against the backdrop of scarcity, the fear of recession, the growing pressure to hold until what I have got rather than practising giving away what I have.
So this Christmas the story of God with us, is even more resounding for me. God, in Jesus, becoming like us to save us. Emptying himself. Giving away his rights. Holding nothing back in his embrace of humanity so that in him we can find true humanity.
It’s a story I need to stop and reflect on, in my fear driven selfish headlong rush. In the frantic pace of my life I need to slow down and stop trying to work out how this year I can get more and give less. I need to remind myself thatGod’s economy in his kingdom does not run on scarcity and fear but radical generousity and sacrificially giving away of the best. I need to find space to embrace the giving not getting nature of Christ and to learn again that the way of the cross begins in surrender of my whole self to Christ.
The 4 sundays of advent are something we chose to celebrate within our own faith community. However there are plenty of on-line resources as well to help us. Here are a few suggestions:
Advent reflections & resources
What does the season of advent mean for you?
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I’ve been invited to teach and share with the Pioneer Ministry Ordinands at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and will be there tomorrow (friday). I’ve been asked to input on the topic of ecclesiology and intersections with ways to pioneer in church ministry.
I’ll be sharing from my research, church planting experience and emerging church involvement. I’m looking forward to getting to know Dave Male better (whose the Tutor in Pioneer Mission Training), and learning from the students how they are engaging in church in new ways.
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There’s a new missional network emerging, over at theoriginsproject.org. I’m interested and supportive of it for a few reasons.
1. Dan Kimball & Scott McKnight: Two guys I know and have interacted with, and who I respect greatly, and trust immensely are behind this.
I also know and connect with Dan through George Fox, where he is finishing his D.Min and teaches as an adjunct. In january I’m presenting from the two chapters of a book I have written, that Scott has also written for.
2. Focus, Values & Practices: As I’ve talked with Dan and on reading the site, the listed values have resonated with me. A network centred around relationships, a commitment to the bible, evangelism, innovation in mission, and regard for the church.
Now the big question is, what commitments to the bible, and evangelism, mission and church? Those will set the tone and flavour of this group, as it does for all others. From my interactions so far, I love Dan & Scott’s approach to scripture, evangelism, mission and the church.
Far be it from me to delineate what those commitments and values are, and if I could suggest a series of blog posts for Dan, it would be on those areas. What is the networks geography with regards to scripture, evangelism, mission and church? In fact Dan has already been sketching this out on his blog.
And I’m sure that will be forthcoming as the network develops and talks about what it hopes to do and be. And on 1st December you can hear Dan live via teleseminar, talking about The Origins Projects hopes and aspirations.
The first Origins Event is in Germany, Jan 8-9th.
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I spent some time digesting my time in Nairobi, in particular visiting churches, and listening to the stories of how they had been planted, what their context was and how they had grown.
And these were churches that grown during the violence in Kenya, that saw many people killed in tribal violence inside churches, with churches being burnt down, and some pastors also inciting the violence.
In addition to material aid to displaced peoples, the churches I visited had sought to provide an alternative worship space to the locations where so many horrific abuses had taken place (and many of these people’s churches had been destroyed in the violence).
So sitting in a tent in a field, with one community totaling 2,000 people, many living in the local fields, many walking in, some coming by car, lots of ex pats from various countries, I asked myself what is going on here? What is going on that means faith is close to the surface, that makes this church community so vibrant, dynamic and full of Jesus?
And if I could see and understand some of those ingredients, would they illuminate other contexts, like the one I live in? I know my context is very different, and in contrast to my time in Nairobi it seemed to be one of consumer bourgeois indifference and apathy, compared to one of persecution, and starvation.
So in trying to translate something, here are three things, that seemed to stand out to me:
1. Social Justice/Ministry to the poor
Care for the poor, involvement in social justice seems primary to these churches nature and engagement with their community.
2. Worship
Space and places, to form Christian identity in the midst of conflicting realities. Worship here is not about personal style and aesthetics but the radical orientation of identity together around Christ, for formation and engagement in the hostile world around them. Worship is political the engagement in ordering a way of life, that is public.
3. Gospel Proclamation
The declaration in action, relationship, and with words, that Jesus is Lord. A call to the ordering of life together around the death and resurrection and eternal realities of Jesus. And it struck me how doomed to failure these churches would be with just one or two ingredients missing. Care for the poor, worship and Gospel declaration were inseparably intertwined.
So in my context, I am asking myself reflexively:
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Thanks to all you who have been praying and tracking the 2 year battle for our daughters special education needs.
This last friday we received a letter from our local education authority (LEA), a final statement of education needs, that agreed provision and support for the school we want our daughter to go to for high shool in sept 2009.
There are still some details to iron out, like how they should provide transport to the school, but have not listed that in the statement. The school is some way off, and the LEA will have to provide transport if our daughter is to get there and back.
But this is the major breakthrough we have been paying, working and praying for. So again thank you.
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This image is almost impossible (for me at least) to translate/comprehend within my european secular political context.
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How do you feel about the bible? How do you enage with the bible? How does the bible enage with you? How do we interact with the bible in our faith communities and what place do you feel does public hearing of the scriptures being read have in our spiritual formation (and does scriptures have less negative connations for you than say the holy bible?).Maybe I’m getting old. I’m having nostalgic flashbacks to my childhood and how I grew up with the bible. I remember how solemn church (twice on sunday) was and the steps my parents took to keep us kids hushed, the old bag full of books and a few spankings out in the church hall when I wasn’t quiet (sunday school used to happen before the main church service so we’d have been at church for double the length of time of most of the adults!).
Maybe some of you can relate to this and are getting a tinge of nostalgia too.
One thing I do remember is the reading of scripture. I remember the separate lectern from which someone would go and read from the big bible. Next to the plaque on the wall with the hymn numbers for that day was another one with the bible passage details on it so people who arrived early could find it in advance and if they were keen read it too.
It was considered a special honour to be chosen to do so and if someone like my dad with his rich deep voice and sense of rhythm, it was a magical moment. All of us kids would listen. Listen to a story unfolding. Listen to strange words (it was the good ol King James), names, places. People really liked the bible in my church so we didn’t just have a couple of verses but often a whole chapter was read out (even if the focus of the sermon was going to be on the use of the word “BUT” in v3 contrasted with its use in v5 :).
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Whilst away on site visits for the D.Min I will be leading in Global Missional Leadership, I shot video and Loren Kerns took the photos.
Loren is an accomplished photographer, and he captured some amazing moments from our travels. I’ve uploaded the unprocessed and unedited photo’s we have. Take a look at my Flickr page.
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I’m still digesting Guy Kawaski’s blog post on making the most of Tiwtter. It has to be the best overview and tip sheet I have yet read, on using twitter.
BTW my twitter name is jasonclark
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Back in October I put this prayer request in a post, about our struggles to secure support for our youngest daughter’s special education needs.Thank you again for all your comments, emails and prayers. If you are able can you pray especially this week, as our local education authority (LEA) have confirmed that they will meet to finalise provision for our daughter wednesday 19th November.
That have delayed, and broken statutory timelines, previously, so I’m not holding my breadth. This time however they have given this indication to our member of parliament who has intervened on our behalf.
It’s long and complex (see my last post), and I hope the LEA do finalise this week, and don’t delay and thus force us to appeal. Our lawyers believe they have no possibility for winning an appeal, but might cause us to have to enter one, with all the costs of reports, and private assessments (a further several thousand pounds), only to have them concede before the appeal date.
