Something to aspire to...

The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus is an early Christian Apologetic writing. I was just emailed, well worth copying!

The Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus Chapter V.--The Manners of the Christians

For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred.

Here we're praying for the start of a community. A couple are looking at moving and and being the first to join and set up the the rhythm and rule, this was very timely.
Cheers Jason.

Books

I was encouraged by someone last night that my blog is read-worthy so here's some motivation!

I've also been reflecting on the lack of humility in blogging, the idea that we're so worthy of reading the seed of hope that says billions of people could read about me...
Anyway I've been thinking about humility, judgment, church, and sonship/adoption, if i don't blog some of it my head will start to combust.

In Swaziland my mate Jon gave me the 'Final Quest' to read after him, it's a prophetic vision given to Rick Joyner and as i was a little (lot) anti-charismatic i read a page or three and dropped it as wack-job.
Now older and ahem, wiser I find myself revisiting it at the same time as slowly reflecting through the jack frost on spiritual sonship book.

It's like being cuddled and disciplined at once! But i'm kinda finding out that's what this God relationship things about.
There is so much in Rick Joyner's prophecy its just great, I kept saying to Caroline: "I'm giving this book a rest it's too much" Then within two hours I was reading again. painfully beautiful, convicting and attracting. It's able to take you into the idea of God's judgment and the abject nature of human position in relation to God and yet not leave you in self-flagellating, work-driven, anti-grace heartache. There is a temptation whilst reading to go that way, but having Jack Frost on tap helps! It's not a Calvinist book, but its does give a sense of our total depravity, whilst leaving us with our choice of a life with or without God, in the measure we choose.

I'm just finishing the final quest before pressing straight into 'The Call.'

All this reading is not normal for me, don't worry! It's just that I've realised I've got sloppy . I've got to a place where i don't finish books ever. I got so tired of reading in 5 years of study that I've avoided th stimulation of good books and become laisez faire with the books i buy and read.
So many of my books have been sold or are being sold on Amazon and I'm endeavoring to read all i buy or to sell on or give away. I've borrowed some good books from a good mate too.

One of which is pagan christianity which I've already read many blogs about and chatted with Hannah J about in blogoshere. I'm only 35 pages in but I'm already forming an opinion.
It's a bit patronising, you say the early church met in homes not church buildings? really! Constantine wasn't the best Christian ever? Some/many of our church practices aren't in the Bible? It's like no expletive sherlock!

It's written like this is some amazing reality which will blow the church apart, but the truth is don't most of us know this? Church has evolved and we do need some form of reformation. But different ways of doing church exist for a reason.
I live in the shadow of the 1000 people strong Vineyard church that is only a decade old. I wouldn't do church their way for love nor money, but I'm not about pulling them apart.
They meet the need of the middle class church hoppers, the Christians and seekers of a particular section of society, their leaders must battle chronic busy-ness, affluenza, feed me don't lead spirit and all the other sicknesses of attractional church.
I know my church has other battles to fight, other groups to reach.

has no one told the writers that God looks at the heart, that He is bigger than his word or the first century church? I'm an Anglican, I believe in a mixed economy church. (not mixed theology just praxis.) I really honour the writers as Viola has planted churches and lived out his call before critiquing other and George Barna has been exploring and critiquing church for ages. The call is for building up not tearing down. But I'm with Alan Hirsch, the best way to critique something is to go and do it better.

Paradoxically, I do think that the British church needs to do some of the things their calling for, in some areas/places. The emerging church, the simple. organic church needs to flourish alongside the existing, then we will be ready for revival and be a missionary movement at the same time.

Anyway, I never got round to humility, it's too painful!

Crisis Junkie

I was remembering a moment on Leadership Training exercise form my first bible college.

It was my turn to lead the team (8-10 trainee church monkeys) through some random training exercise, It all went well, we got the thing done, all ok.
The couple running the thing did the review, I (on autopilot) reviewed my performance.
The lass then asked me a question that woke me up.
" why did you wait for things to get in a mess before sorting them out?"

She explained that after the initial planning chat, I'd sat back, let the team get to the point of failure and implosion and then expertly taken control, lead the team effectively and got the job done.

It's insignificant, but it;s one of those seminal moments of self revelation. I'm a bit lazy, well not lazy but easily distracted, I need a deadline, a motivator, an event, the clock etc...

Whilst doing a bit of navel-gazing i'm wondering how far this reflects a lot of Church leadership, the pastoral emergency, the big service, the festival, the event, the big meeting energise and enthuse, create the forum for activity. Otherwise a person who is so unaccountable in the moments of a day can easily do many things without actually achieving a great deal.

My new year challenge is to get things done so that the crises don't occur, however much miss them. Peace and job satisfaction, hope to find out what they feel like!

Oh and whilst i'm here a few goals for '09 three groups planted (new believers), get on the streets, get the church out in the miraculous, set up kids church and find some more workers to join us.

In factual news... we just stopped meeting on Sundays in the church to meet in a cosy hall next week and explore what being church really means till Easter. We'll go back into church for all age jamboree once a month.

This interestingly dovetails with Hannah J's blog about pagan buildings which I've commented on!