Reflecting on three days in http://www.ffald-y-brenin.org/.. Here are some of my thoughts I posted in response to a friends question, how was it? "Yes totally wonderful ...completely diferrent to what I expected.. It's as if you go there and He just meets you and says right now this is what I am after and about in you. You come away feeling profoundly loved and hugely aware of His power and convinced that great things come through prayer. Cant remember the last time I heard Gods voice so clearly and recovered a very Christ centredness.
It was much less a come and recieve the anointing...more come and I will reveal myself to you. So I've come back so much more aware of the power of the cross, how loved I am, and how much more God is committed to the mission of DCM than I am.
Many things took me by surprise, like litergy was not the enemy of charismatic gifts, reflective reading of scripture had huge power, and secondly praying for the creation was new... so becoming connected not only to heaven but also to earth and stewarding the earth through prayer, there was something very profound in that. I also liked the connectedness with the past... I am very evangelical and protestant and some of the Celtic spirituality was very deep... I will return.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Sunday, 17 April 2011
How many Anglicans does it take to change a lightbulb?
A friend of mine who is about to be ordained as an Anglican "priestess, Vicarette, lady Vicar, give me a name someone" jokingly put on her facebook page the following joke.... How many Anglicans does it take to change a light bulb... Fourteen; one to change it and 13 to ask "what is change?".....
Which set me thinking... Now I love the good old CofE many of my very best friends and Colleagues are in it. I love ministering in it and I often have the joy of preaching in their churches and taking communion with them
But I find their systems and structures a little antiquated and to be honest hilarious... So to my wonderful Anglican friends I offer the actual scenario you might face in the changing of a light bulb .... Are you ready? Here we go.
" Actually what would happen is the Standing Committee of the Parish would bat the light bulb change to the PCC,who would refer the matter to the Deanery synod. Deanery synod would refer it to house of laity and house of clergy in turn. The report of the light bulb change will need to pass in front of the archdeacon for his/her comments who will of course refer it to the parsonages committee.
However this one is complicated as this is a fresh expression of light bulb. Therefore a bishops missional order might be set in place for the light bulb change assuming a LEP ( Local Eclairage Partnership) won't do.
This situation has been further complicated as the light bulb change is in a Forward in Faith parish... The problem being now is the pioneer lighbulb changer for the BMO is Woman lightbulb changer and we can't have anything in the parish that has been changed by a women and especially not bread and grape juice....
So the proposal is goes before the diocesan team to be discussed with the Bishops team who may refer the lightbulb change to general synod via the fresh expressions team. Alternatively they will bring in an expert at great expense who has special forward in faith male fitting lightbulb changing skills.
The arch deacon has as a matter of protocol consulted the finance department who will be ensuring that the light bulbs are ordered through at least three suppliers and that only those competently (male and ordained) light bulb changer will indeed change the light bulb.
Meanwhile back in the Deanery Chapter will order a report from St Johns college on the epistemology of light bulb changes and the Greek root of the word change.
However we have now discovered that the Charismatics have got wind of the Lightbulb change which has started something of a schism.
Reform have now got wind of this and insist that only exclusively male lightbulbs that adhere to the 39 articles of light bulb will be allowed and that they will boycott and withhold parish share on light bulbs if the light bulb isn't adequately debated at synod......
The light bulb change then goes out across the communion the American episcopalian light bulbs pitch up at this point and express concern that male male light bulb fittings aren't adequately represented and they want one to become a Bishop light bulb changer .................. Whereupon the African light bulb changers storm out in disgust.... The communion is in turmoil and the forward in faith boys opt for Roman and Italian light bulbs as the Ordinariat light bulbs are purer..and untouched by women..
Meanwhile people who don't go to church, have never heard of Jesus sit in darkness ......... This is the non funny bit !
Happy Lightbulb changing everyone..........
Which set me thinking... Now I love the good old CofE many of my very best friends and Colleagues are in it. I love ministering in it and I often have the joy of preaching in their churches and taking communion with them
But I find their systems and structures a little antiquated and to be honest hilarious... So to my wonderful Anglican friends I offer the actual scenario you might face in the changing of a light bulb .... Are you ready? Here we go.
" Actually what would happen is the Standing Committee of the Parish would bat the light bulb change to the PCC,who would refer the matter to the Deanery synod. Deanery synod would refer it to house of laity and house of clergy in turn. The report of the light bulb change will need to pass in front of the archdeacon for his/her comments who will of course refer it to the parsonages committee.
However this one is complicated as this is a fresh expression of light bulb. Therefore a bishops missional order might be set in place for the light bulb change assuming a LEP ( Local Eclairage Partnership) won't do.
This situation has been further complicated as the light bulb change is in a Forward in Faith parish... The problem being now is the pioneer lighbulb changer for the BMO is Woman lightbulb changer and we can't have anything in the parish that has been changed by a women and especially not bread and grape juice....
So the proposal is goes before the diocesan team to be discussed with the Bishops team who may refer the lightbulb change to general synod via the fresh expressions team. Alternatively they will bring in an expert at great expense who has special forward in faith male fitting lightbulb changing skills.
The arch deacon has as a matter of protocol consulted the finance department who will be ensuring that the light bulbs are ordered through at least three suppliers and that only those competently (male and ordained) light bulb changer will indeed change the light bulb.
Meanwhile back in the Deanery Chapter will order a report from St Johns college on the epistemology of light bulb changes and the Greek root of the word change.
However we have now discovered that the Charismatics have got wind of the Lightbulb change which has started something of a schism.
Reform have now got wind of this and insist that only exclusively male lightbulbs that adhere to the 39 articles of light bulb will be allowed and that they will boycott and withhold parish share on light bulbs if the light bulb isn't adequately debated at synod......
The light bulb change then goes out across the communion the American episcopalian light bulbs pitch up at this point and express concern that male male light bulb fittings aren't adequately represented and they want one to become a Bishop light bulb changer .................. Whereupon the African light bulb changers storm out in disgust.... The communion is in turmoil and the forward in faith boys opt for Roman and Italian light bulbs as the Ordinariat light bulbs are purer..and untouched by women..
Meanwhile people who don't go to church, have never heard of Jesus sit in darkness ......... This is the non funny bit !
Happy Lightbulb changing everyone..........
Monday, 11 April 2011
They aren't a bunch of stories !
I recently had a profound spiritual experience of the Holy Spirits person and power in a conference where Heidi Baker was speaking. Her Husband Roland and her lead Iris ministries together in Mozambique. This movement has planted thousands of Churches have seen many healed and others raised from the dead. The social impact of their ministry is incredible. thousands of the worlds most deprived people are fed, loved, and healed through the power of Jesus.
While I was "under the power" I felt God speak powerfully to my spirit. He said Ally you love my sovereignty but you doubt what I can do through you. Then came the truly searching question..... "and you knw what that's called don't you" ... Yes Lord I shamefully replied ... Atheism ...
A friend of mine once referred to himself as a practical cessasionist..... Meaning he believed that spiritual gifts still happened today but that he didn't practice them...
My "Heidi moment" as I called it made me ask myself was I in reality on many fronts a deistic follower of Jesus having a form of religion yet denying His mighty working power working in me? Sadly the answer is yes and in some madness reformed religion that denies the present power of the spirit is little more than Calvanistic Deism....
Strong statements yet as I began to read scripture following my moments of personal revival I found that for too long the Bible had been a collection of doctrines ........ And stories ! Yes stories because they weren't my reality due to unbelief and a prevailing mindset soaked in secular humanism that has no problem with a deistic following of christ........ But a living theism that lives in , expects and yearns for the presence an power of the spirit is something very different.
While I was "under the power" I felt God speak powerfully to my spirit. He said Ally you love my sovereignty but you doubt what I can do through you. Then came the truly searching question..... "and you knw what that's called don't you" ... Yes Lord I shamefully replied ... Atheism ...
A friend of mine once referred to himself as a practical cessasionist..... Meaning he believed that spiritual gifts still happened today but that he didn't practice them...
My "Heidi moment" as I called it made me ask myself was I in reality on many fronts a deistic follower of Jesus having a form of religion yet denying His mighty working power working in me? Sadly the answer is yes and in some madness reformed religion that denies the present power of the spirit is little more than Calvanistic Deism....
Strong statements yet as I began to read scripture following my moments of personal revival I found that for too long the Bible had been a collection of doctrines ........ And stories ! Yes stories because they weren't my reality due to unbelief and a prevailing mindset soaked in secular humanism that has no problem with a deistic following of christ........ But a living theism that lives in , expects and yearns for the presence an power of the spirit is something very different.
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Musings from the Treadmill...
In my attempts to live a life that more glorifies God and satisfies my joy in Him. I am trying to lose weight. A part of this is daily visits to the gym and frankly at times it is pretty boring. A bored mind can become a fertile place for sin so to fight that I have started to think through key Biblical and theological issues and their implications.
Today I was thinking about the Reformed doctrine of Sola Scriptura. I believe in inerrency. Namely I believe the scriptures as first given to the human writers were without error. They are the final authority to all matters of faith practice and doctrine in the church.
However the thought came to me what if the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is not the case. Would the church exist? No, would be my answer as the Holy Spirit through the scripture exerts the Lordship of Christ in the Church. To claim that Christ is Lord of your life is to submit yourself to the divine teachings of scripture. It is through the spirit opening scripture to us that faith is kindled in our hearts and regeneration takes place.
Anything other than scripture is the musings of fallible man.
Today I was thinking about the Reformed doctrine of Sola Scriptura. I believe in inerrency. Namely I believe the scriptures as first given to the human writers were without error. They are the final authority to all matters of faith practice and doctrine in the church.
However the thought came to me what if the doctrine of Sola Scriptura is not the case. Would the church exist? No, would be my answer as the Holy Spirit through the scripture exerts the Lordship of Christ in the Church. To claim that Christ is Lord of your life is to submit yourself to the divine teachings of scripture. It is through the spirit opening scripture to us that faith is kindled in our hearts and regeneration takes place.
Anything other than scripture is the musings of fallible man.
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
The Valley of Vision
A friend of mine is in the process of moving, and in the process is downsizing his library.
As I grow older I am seeking to gather and invest more and more in my library believing that after my death one day someone will inherit this library and another generation will read the divines particularly the Puritains.
Anyhow one of the books he gave me was The Valley of Vision a collection of prayers and devotions by the Puritains the names contained within are Richard Baxter, David Brainard, Augustus Toplady, CH Spurgeon, Isaac Watts and Phillip Dodderidge. Great divines and Holy men to drink from their devotions is rich..
So for all fellow Christian Hedonists this is good food for your soul...
So Drink Deep !
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
that every good work or thought found in me
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
As I grow older I am seeking to gather and invest more and more in my library believing that after my death one day someone will inherit this library and another generation will read the divines particularly the Puritains.
Anyhow one of the books he gave me was The Valley of Vision a collection of prayers and devotions by the Puritains the names contained within are Richard Baxter, David Brainard, Augustus Toplady, CH Spurgeon, Isaac Watts and Phillip Dodderidge. Great divines and Holy men to drink from their devotions is rich..
So for all fellow Christian Hedonists this is good food for your soul...
So Drink Deep !
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold
thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter
thy stars shine;
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
that every good work or thought found in me
thy joy in my sorrow,
thy grace in my sin,
thy riches in my poverty
thy glory in my valley.
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
Books I wish I had read at the beginning of my ministry
I am nearly at the end of Charles Haddon Spurgeons book "lectures to my students" On virtually every page I find myself saying "I wish I had read this when I first started out as a preacher I would not have made so many gaffes"...... Which then lead me to thinking "what are the books that have really influenced my life, other than the Bible?" The first 4 were easy, and I list them here and why they influenced me so much. The books that follow are in no particular order but everyone of them I would heartily recommend to a a follower of Jesus.
Number 1 Would be "Desiring God" I first read this book as an open theist suffering with depression as a result of working most days a16-18 hour day, spending hours in prayer and fasting three days a week. You see my theology was fueling how I lived and a theology that puts the future of Gods Kingdom in our hands requires works. So I was seeking through my works to bring in Gods kingdom here on earth. Two years out of Bible College I was burned out,and in spiritual depression.
A friend of mine first handed me John Pipers book the Pleasures of God back in 1991. As I read it I threw the book across the room on several occasions as I wrestled with John Pipers Calvinism. The chapter on Gods pleasure in Election made me scream with anger. However, the weight of his exegesis, his love of the lost and his passion for God and missions were infectious. It was hurting me to kick against the goads. The references to His book Desiring God awakened in me a desire to read the book....... And then the adventure began, as this tired, weary, Christian weighed down with the burden of human responsibility melted under the Gospel of Grace. The Majesty of God in Christ burst into my soul and it was as if I came alive alive with glorious God centred truth.
CS Lewis said "we read to know that we are not alone" and as I read on I realised the my insatiable desire for the things of God was good!!! I was not alone! My desire to indulge myself in the greatness of God was a good thing. Then I discovered that the greatest expression of this worship was mission. Man my very reason for being alive was answered and the fuel for my christian life was found.
So why would I recommend this book so highly? Basically because it makes everything right... Why am I alive, how should I live, how do I relate to God, why do we have the Bible, why pray, why mission........ inside these pages is fuel for the Christian life, take it read it and apply it.. I read this book first nearly 18 years ago it's pages are still alive to me today.
2. Knowing God JI Packer.... Who is God, What is God like, What is the Gospel, these are the big big issues in the Universe and this book gives you beautiful God centred reasoned answers. I think it was in this book that I finally grasped the Gospel in all it's beauty and what God had done for me in the person of Christ in hanging on the Cross for me... A must read for every Christian.
3. The Holiness of God RC Sproul..
I first met this book as a series of teaching on Video. I will always remember as I saw this masterful Bible Teacher embracing this subject in such a devotional way. RC Sproul adores the Divine he is of an era of men who have bathed themselves in the teachings and writings of the Puritans and it comes out as he teaches. The modern trend today is to remove from the Bible all that is offensive to our culture in the name of relevance. We like a cuddly fluffy Jesus but we don't want a Holy God who is other than and above and unlike us because we have made ourselves little Gods. RC debunks that and puts man where he belongs under the eye of an all Holy God. Why do we need this book so badly? To keep us on track with who God really is and what we are really like.. again a must read.
Fourth and lastly for this edition of this blog "The Glory of Christ" by Peter Lewis. Jesus Christ is the focus of all of creation, the risen one at the centre of the throne who has bought humanity into the divine realm, to whom is due all praise honour glory and power. There are not enough words to describe who Christ is. However in terms of Christology you would be pushed to better Peter's extensive and painstaking work here. Getting our Christology right as Gospel people is paramount and Peter helps us to do so. This is a rich meal like the others, and this book is best chewed a chapter at a time.
Happy Reading
Number 1 Would be "Desiring God" I first read this book as an open theist suffering with depression as a result of working most days a16-18 hour day, spending hours in prayer and fasting three days a week. You see my theology was fueling how I lived and a theology that puts the future of Gods Kingdom in our hands requires works. So I was seeking through my works to bring in Gods kingdom here on earth. Two years out of Bible College I was burned out,and in spiritual depression.
A friend of mine first handed me John Pipers book the Pleasures of God back in 1991. As I read it I threw the book across the room on several occasions as I wrestled with John Pipers Calvinism. The chapter on Gods pleasure in Election made me scream with anger. However, the weight of his exegesis, his love of the lost and his passion for God and missions were infectious. It was hurting me to kick against the goads. The references to His book Desiring God awakened in me a desire to read the book....... And then the adventure began, as this tired, weary, Christian weighed down with the burden of human responsibility melted under the Gospel of Grace. The Majesty of God in Christ burst into my soul and it was as if I came alive alive with glorious God centred truth.
CS Lewis said "we read to know that we are not alone" and as I read on I realised the my insatiable desire for the things of God was good!!! I was not alone! My desire to indulge myself in the greatness of God was a good thing. Then I discovered that the greatest expression of this worship was mission. Man my very reason for being alive was answered and the fuel for my christian life was found.
So why would I recommend this book so highly? Basically because it makes everything right... Why am I alive, how should I live, how do I relate to God, why do we have the Bible, why pray, why mission........ inside these pages is fuel for the Christian life, take it read it and apply it.. I read this book first nearly 18 years ago it's pages are still alive to me today.
2. Knowing God JI Packer.... Who is God, What is God like, What is the Gospel, these are the big big issues in the Universe and this book gives you beautiful God centred reasoned answers. I think it was in this book that I finally grasped the Gospel in all it's beauty and what God had done for me in the person of Christ in hanging on the Cross for me... A must read for every Christian.
3. The Holiness of God RC Sproul..
I first met this book as a series of teaching on Video. I will always remember as I saw this masterful Bible Teacher embracing this subject in such a devotional way. RC Sproul adores the Divine he is of an era of men who have bathed themselves in the teachings and writings of the Puritans and it comes out as he teaches. The modern trend today is to remove from the Bible all that is offensive to our culture in the name of relevance. We like a cuddly fluffy Jesus but we don't want a Holy God who is other than and above and unlike us because we have made ourselves little Gods. RC debunks that and puts man where he belongs under the eye of an all Holy God. Why do we need this book so badly? To keep us on track with who God really is and what we are really like.. again a must read.
Fourth and lastly for this edition of this blog "The Glory of Christ" by Peter Lewis. Jesus Christ is the focus of all of creation, the risen one at the centre of the throne who has bought humanity into the divine realm, to whom is due all praise honour glory and power. There are not enough words to describe who Christ is. However in terms of Christology you would be pushed to better Peter's extensive and painstaking work here. Getting our Christology right as Gospel people is paramount and Peter helps us to do so. This is a rich meal like the others, and this book is best chewed a chapter at a time.
Happy Reading
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Reformed and Gracious?
Reformed and Gracious?
Over recent years a string of controversies have rumbled on around subjects such as the Authority of Scripture especially hermeneutical method, the Atonement, Justification, the nature of Hell, and the uniqueness of Christ. Some of these subjects are not new ones they have rumbled on for years. But writers such as Brian MacLaren, Rob Bell and others have brought these issues into Evangelicalism. Behind them stand Theologians who would call themselves Evangelical but might not necessarily call themselves Reformed.
Often I find myself agreeing with the questions that some of the Emergent writers are posing. At times I feel their tone towards Evangelicals is harsh and unkind and in fact judgemental. However I would say that in turn we engage in polemics in an ungracious manner and so consequently lose the moral war.
So I wonder if there is a way to be polemically gracious? I have some great friends of other denominations who hold to some doctrines that I believe border on heresy, they know my position and yet I consider their friendship and remonstrance a blessing.
For the following reasons:
1. I believe that the reformers position of sola scriptura is the only possible one to take as when we mix reason and tradition with it as my Anglican friends do we end up in confusion, compromise and the lowest common denominator to retain unity.
2. Having said that I place Unity as of greater importance than my corner on truth. At the heart of unity must be an attitude of humility and a desire to listen to others for the light of Christ to break forth.
3. I’m always nervous of camps they tend to be small minded in their thinking, ungracious in attitude and low on humility. If as reformed Christians we are saying we preach a Gospel of free Grace then surely in their somewhere there must be a heart for unity and a gracious attitude to other Christians.
4. I believe in a Big Holy Sprit who has a habit of braking out in the most unusual places among unusual people in very unusual ways. Heresy hunters will often be quick to condemn these moves of God and sadly at times they miss the sovereign workings of God.
There are huge issues at stake in some of the modern debates…… Sola Scriptura at times lays trampled in the dirt, precious truths like imputation of righteousness and substitutionary atonement are sideswiped in drive by reconstruction. There is even a re-tweeking of Romans in Brian’s latest book……It seems that reformed Christians find themselves fighting for the faith once delivered to the saints (that will get deconstructed and challenged) like never before. Our tone is becoming more and more polemical and sadly our postural tone more and more proud and at times brash.
So can we play nicely?
Enjoying Him Forever
Over recent years a string of controversies have rumbled on around subjects such as the Authority of Scripture especially hermeneutical method, the Atonement, Justification, the nature of Hell, and the uniqueness of Christ. Some of these subjects are not new ones they have rumbled on for years. But writers such as Brian MacLaren, Rob Bell and others have brought these issues into Evangelicalism. Behind them stand Theologians who would call themselves Evangelical but might not necessarily call themselves Reformed.
Often I find myself agreeing with the questions that some of the Emergent writers are posing. At times I feel their tone towards Evangelicals is harsh and unkind and in fact judgemental. However I would say that in turn we engage in polemics in an ungracious manner and so consequently lose the moral war.
So I wonder if there is a way to be polemically gracious? I have some great friends of other denominations who hold to some doctrines that I believe border on heresy, they know my position and yet I consider their friendship and remonstrance a blessing.
For the following reasons:
1. I believe that the reformers position of sola scriptura is the only possible one to take as when we mix reason and tradition with it as my Anglican friends do we end up in confusion, compromise and the lowest common denominator to retain unity.
2. Having said that I place Unity as of greater importance than my corner on truth. At the heart of unity must be an attitude of humility and a desire to listen to others for the light of Christ to break forth.
3. I’m always nervous of camps they tend to be small minded in their thinking, ungracious in attitude and low on humility. If as reformed Christians we are saying we preach a Gospel of free Grace then surely in their somewhere there must be a heart for unity and a gracious attitude to other Christians.
4. I believe in a Big Holy Sprit who has a habit of braking out in the most unusual places among unusual people in very unusual ways. Heresy hunters will often be quick to condemn these moves of God and sadly at times they miss the sovereign workings of God.
There are huge issues at stake in some of the modern debates…… Sola Scriptura at times lays trampled in the dirt, precious truths like imputation of righteousness and substitutionary atonement are sideswiped in drive by reconstruction. There is even a re-tweeking of Romans in Brian’s latest book……It seems that reformed Christians find themselves fighting for the faith once delivered to the saints (that will get deconstructed and challenged) like never before. Our tone is becoming more and more polemical and sadly our postural tone more and more proud and at times brash.
So can we play nicely?
Enjoying Him Forever
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