Million pound ambition

A wee while ago I was asked by an inspirational friend of mine, 'If you had a million pounds what ministry would you spend it on?'  I had no answer.

The truth is that it was never something I felt I needed to think about because it was unlikely that I was ever going to be offered that much cash in the first place.  But still, I had no answer and my mind started searching for one.

How about a groovy extension to our church with some storage space and a state-of-art-coffee-shop? Or developing some sort of techy on-line ministry that would reach the world? Or a team of fifty workers to shake the place up and do all the hard graft for us? 

The possibilities are seemingly endless, especially in a wee church like ours that isn't used to having surplus funds to throw at big projects.  

That fact is though that all the money in the world won't make much difference unless we are in step with God.  If our church has a beautiful building or a big staff or fancy-pants technology but is cold, or hurt, or disinterested then the nice stuff is just lipstick on a pig.

I still have no answer for my inspirational friend, but I know this: I won't be wasting my time praying for a million pounds, I'll ask God for something important instead - The salvation of my friends and family and the restoration of my church.  Make us whole again Lord Jesus.

What would you spend a million bucks on?

Sleeping's for wimps

There are a number of things that can stop a 'leader' getting enough sleep on a youth weekend.

The sound of teenagers playing midnight baseball, excessive and violent snoring, late night chats with the person in the bottom bunk, the person in the room next door having late night chats with the person in the bottom bunk and alarming alarms can all prevent restful nights.  However last weekend I  encountered an additional unexpected problem.

I have one of those sleeping bags with a hood.  It is great, very 'snugly' as the wife would say but it is bloomin' hard to get into.  I struggle with the whole simultaneous wriggle, hop and zip of a normal sleeping bag but the hood adds a whole new dimension.

My problem was that no matter how hard I tried I could never seem to get in the right way round first time.  When I put the hood up for extra comfort it ended up covering my face.  Comfy, but deadly.  The great thing I had would end up killing me.  The wriggling continued until sleep was almost more hassle than it was worth.

It is important to have comfort in life.  By that I meant true comfort in the middle of the people of God.  A place where we can have shelter from all the stress and strains, temptations and trials of life on earth.  It is God-given comfort.  However the goal is not to live in church, to always constantly be surrounded with like-minded safe people but instead to be restored, encouraged and strengthened so that we can go out into the world and glorify Jesus.

Instead at times we linger in church surrounded by the comfortable people and the comfortable things.  When we do this we are in grave danger of suffocating our witness.  That is something worth losing sleep over.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

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Homoerectus Influenza

I'm sick.

Sore head, sore throat, bunged up. Yes, that's right, it's another tragic case of man-flu.

My long-suffering wife has been very kind to me in my distress, she has met my every demand - feed me, nurse me, medicate me - while I have lay about like a beached whale enjoying the attention and sympathy.

I think churches are prone to a variant of man-flu,  let's call it church-flu. The symptoms of church-flu can appear very serious, lack of leaders, lack of money, a congregation that's growing older, a building that's crumbling.  But let's get to the heart of these problems.

The church-flu sufferer that complains of these things, decides that the only thing they can do when faced with these ills is to lie about complaining.  'Woe is me', it cries, 'woe is me'.  What they is actually saying is that God has not properly equipped them to do the work he has given them, He is unreasonable, unfair and unfaithful.  God is working His people like a slave-driver in ancient Egypt - what a cruel God we have.

God has not (according to church-flu sufferers) lived up to His promises of making their burden light, He is not a refuge for them but rather they are having to carry Him.  'Woe, Woe, Woe'.  NO!

If God has given us enough to do what he asks us to do (which He definitely has) then the problem must lie at our end.  Are church-flu sufferers simply doing the wrong things, those things which God has not asked them to do.  Or are they perhaps not accessing, through prayer, the resources God has set aside for them, or are they trusting more in the power of people and money and stuff than the unstoppable power of God?

Man-flu is annoying, church-flu can be a killer, if you or your church is suffering from it then don't allow yourselves to wallow any more.  Stop laying around feeling sorry for yourselves, come before God and get it sorted out.

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13-14

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We're all in this together

Last night Rathcoole Presbyterian Church delivered about 2000 Christmas cards to homes in Rathcoole. Why? To wish people a happy Christmas.

Is there still room for uncynical acts of goodwill in this day and age? Sometimes I wonder.  Churches get so caught up at times in advertising and invitation that it must seem very contrived to 'people out there'.

So how do we know if we as a church genuinely care about people or if we are only interested in bums on seats?  If someone tells you that they are a Christian do you  celebrate with them or do you automatically wonder what church they go to and if you approve or not? When talking to someone who is not yet a Christian are you happy to promote a church local to them or do you make it out like yours is the only Church worth going to?

I know that all churches don't behave in the same ways and doctrines can be different too but unless those differences are causing a church to step outside the teaching of the Bible then we should be happy to see it grow and see people come to faith through it.

I bring this up because I am guilty of it, I loose sight on occasion that this is the Lord's church and it is his battle we are fighting.  It must be very displeasing for Him to see His bride at war with itself, especially when it can be over such petty issues or jealousy of another's apparent success. 

Let's instead delight in doing good for people, share the Gospel when and where we can and let's not turn everything into an exercise of self-promotion.

If you are not a Christian and you look on the church as a squabbling self-interested hypocrite-filled organisation then I apologise that we have caused you to feel that way.  The truth is that the church is full of people who are very far from perfect and if it weren't for the grace of God we would be nowhere.  The good news is that if you are imperfect God can save you by grace as well and you can come and join us on our struggle to be better, it helps when we do it together.

   I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Ephesians 4:1-6

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Everyone is special in their own way, we make each other strong. We're not the same; we're different in a good way. Together's where we belong.

Poetic.

If you'd like to see a photo of me looking like a homeless ex-con click here and if you'd like to read an interview all about my good self then click here. Much obliged.

Greater things still to be done

The last couple of days in Rathcoole have been very tense.

On Monday there were a couple of raids on different houses around the estate.  These were in connection with 'historial enquires'.  As a response to these raids rioting has taken place on the outskirts of the estate for the last to nights.  (Read BBC reports here).

The vast majority of the people in the estate are not represented by the rioters but we are all impacted by it.  It is difficult to know what to do about the situation, how to influence it. There is one thing we can do and that is pray.  Rathcoole Presbyterian Church will be holding a prayer meeting tonight from 7:00pm.  If you are willing to come and it is safe for you to do so then please come along.  If you can't make it I would encourage you to pray at that time for Rathcoole.

Some things to pray for:
*God would move in the estate to change the hearts of those causing trouble.
*That young children would not be manipulated into taking part.
*That police, rioters and others would be safe from physical harm.
*That it would rain tonight.
*Church leaders in the area would find success as they seek to influence the situation
*That the reputation of the estate would not disadvantage it's young people.
*That God would send revival to this place.

The problem with me is...

There's something that effects us all regardless of background, gender, income, skin colour, waistline, hairstyle or house size.  Something that screws us up.  Something that wants to destroy us.

Sin.

Whether you are a minister or an atheist, a monk or a hedonist sin is a problem for you.  Now, don't get me wrong, sin is not some evil force you have to destroy with light sabers and wooden stakes. Sin comes from the choices we make. It is every time we choose to do something that goes against God or every time we don't do something that would please Him. We know when we sin because of our conscience. My sin is my fault, your sin is your fault - no one else's.

I hate sin. If I'm honest I enjoy it, but I hate it.  I hate it because of it's consequences. The broken relationships, the guilt, the eroding of what's right and what's wrong...  Everything that is wrong with the world is because of sin, yours and mine.  Don't blame Adam or terrorists or the government or the pope or school teachers, blame yourself and blame me.

We all sin.  We're all guilty.  Sorry Lord.

If you hate sin because of what it's doing to you and others around you, if you want rid of the burden there is a way out. Jesus Christ. He came into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15), he can take away the sin of the world (John 1:29) he can remove your guilt (John 8:36).  Only He can do it. Turn to Jesus and He will set you free. 

If, like me, you're a christian who still sins, it's time for us to change, it's time for us to take hold of the full life Jesus promises us. Let's stop holding on to sin.

Let's everyone step into the fresh warm light of Jesus, sin does us no good but without it we are released prisoners. We are free to do the good that our hearts yearn for. I have tasted this freedom, I taste it now and it is good!

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The Prayers of Rathcoole Presbyterian and I'm sure all Christians are with the family of Rebecca McManus who was killed yesterday (7/10)  in a car crash at Hazelbank roundabout (news report here).

Eighty-Two Percent

82% of people who don't attend church regularly said they are likely to go to a church service if they were invited by someone they know. 82 percent!  I read that statistic recently in book.  The author, Thom S. Rainer, had surveyed a large sample of people that don't attend church on a regular basis and this is the conclusion he came to.

I'm not sure I believe it. That would mean that people are just not inviting other people to church. 

Maybe we need to remember that church is very much worth going to.  We focus so often on negative stuff; 'it's boring', 'the music can be a bit naff', 'we do weird stuff like pray and sing and listen to talks'.  In reality though church is brilliant. Anyone can go (for free) ,you can hear about someone who can transform your life for the better, and you are loved there. Church is simply brilliant.

I know that every church has it's issues and I have yet to find one that is perfect or anywhere near it but it is still brilliant.

Yesterday a friend of mine came to church disturbed.  Something wasn't right with her.  By the time she left she had allowed Jesus to take the lead in her life saying to him, 'Please, be my Lord'.  She told me that she felt a sense of peace. Church didn't do that for her but church is a place where people can hear about that peace and are pointed to Jesus.

Our God is an amazing God and He has chosen to use the church with all it's weakness and failings to tell the world about Himself.  If you are one of the 82% I want to apologise to you.  I want to say sorry if I personally have had the opportunity to invite you to church and haven't.  We Christians can at times be a bit useless when it comes to doing the right thing. Don't let that put you off though.  Invite yourself.  Tell that church-goer you know that you are interested, that you want to give it a go, that you will go with them if they'll let you.

Those of us who call Christ our own need to open our mouths more, don't be ashamed of your Saviour or His people.  We should be able to say, 'I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes'. (Romans 1:16)