Currently...

In the last couple of days I have started to read "Courageous Leadership" by Bill Hybels, Senior Pastor of Willow Creek Church in Chicago. I know that a lot of people hold a lot of views about the man that would not be favourable. If I am being honest, I too probably would have been skeptical. (And probably based on fear, speculation, and hearsay). Now, I am not saying I am his biggest fan, or that the whole book is amazing (because I haven't finished yet), but what I am saying is that already he has provided a lot of food for thought.

In chapter 1 of the book, he paints an incredible picture of what the church should be and should look like if it was functioning correctly, as church was done in the book of Acts. There is one quote I would like to leave with you, and, for me, if this is all that is in the book it has been more than worth it. Get your minds working on this one...

"People supernaturally gifted to lead must yield themselves fully to God. They must cast powerful, biblical, God-honouring visions. They must build effective, loving, clearly focused teams. They must fire up Christ followers to give their absolute best for God. And they must insist with pit bull determination that the gospel be preached, the lost be found, the believers be equipped, the poor be served, the lonely be enfolded into community, and God gets the credit for all".

Let's think over that one and see how we are measuring up!!

Sorry... who?!

So... does anyone recognise the guy in the picture? Any takers... no? To be honest, I would not have known either until tonight. Tonight was the 50th Anniversary Celebration Service for the Campaigners movement in Northern Ireland. Campaigners is a uniformed youth organisation that had its beginnings in 1922 in the mainland UK and in 1957 it was introduced to Northern Ireland by Mr J. B McClelland (the man in the picture) as the first boy Campaigner clan.

To be honest I went tonight, basically, because I was asked. I had no idea of what was going to happen or of what to expect. This year is only my 2nd year of being involved with Campaigners so I knew very little of the history and had little to none (basically none!!) of a sentimental or an emotional attachment to it or memories of it in my own childhood. However, I think tonight may have changed that and the man in the picture has a big part to play in it for 2 reasons:

1. Vision
2. Humility and God-Centredness

VISION...

This man saw a need and had a passion to see it filled! A member of the Ulster Temple, Mr McClelland realised that young people that were attending his church for other youth events and clubs were going to other churches for the uniformed organisations and eventually staying there. That, and I'm sure other reasons, spurred him to seek a solution of beginning a uniformed organisation. In his search, Mr McClelland became impressed with the Campaigner movement because of its firmly evangelical foundation and its goal: "The Campaigner Movement is neither military nor political. It seeks by means of its various activities to develop a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord and to bear witness to the need for Christian thoroughness in all the relationships of life; thus the Motto 'UNTO HIM' and the Password 'THROUGH AND THROUGH'" (from http://www.untohim.co.uk/history.htm). So... Campaigners in NI was underway in 1957.

Mr McClelland, however, did not stop there and rest when a Clan was established in his own church. Other churches saw a need in their own situation and became interested in Campaigners and as a result of that interest Campaigners began to spread. Mr McClelland continued to pioneer the work of Campaigners here and in 30 years introduced it to around 60 different churches...and the work still continues today.

I wonder if we could even begin to imagine the amount of young people whose lives have been radically transformed because this man saw a need, had a vision, trusted God and went after it?! Campaigners is not confined to the history books of Nothern Ireland's day of the "has-been", it is alive and kicking today, albeit in a different approach but with the same goal- to see young people won to the Lord.

HUMILITY AND GOD-CENTREDNESS

Listen to this!! Mr McClelland was at the service tonight and the new Regional director (Chief) made a presentation and awarded him with a certificate to mark his faithful service to the Movement. This man rose to accept his certificate and was met with ground-shaking clapping and a standing ovation (was actually quite moving!) He then got the microphone...now listen, here's the clincher...! Through tears, he said "Do not give me the glory! Give Him the glory! It's because of Him... To God be the glory great things He hath done" and he then proceeded to offer thanks to those who helped and gave themselves in doing what he called "his part" which was "simply doing what [he] felt the Lord would have [him] to do". In this man's mind it was all because of Jesus, and he is right but I was overwhelmed with the man's sense of humility as he genuinely acknowledged that it was of the Lord, from the Lord and for the Lord. He has left an impression...

WHAT IS THAT IMPRESSION?

Start to dream... seek the Lord for vision... when seeing a need consider what the Lord might have for us to do... be God-besotted, Christ-centred, God-honouring, Christ-exalting people...commit ourelves to working with young people and having a vision for their lives, a burden to see them saved and a perseverance that will never let go of them!! Quite a few thoughts I'm left to ponder. What about you?

Can we have a drum roll please...

So, it has been quite a long time since a post has been added to the site. I don't know what has got me thinking about posting again, but I have. However, I have to admit to a bit of confusion over the blogs: what are they for? I know they are for posting anything you want, but about what actually? The ones I read are mainly thoughts on the Word or current happenings or changes etc, but they are written by popular, respected men who have the influence to have such a following and interest in their writing! I think there is definitely a benefit in the Blogworld for us commoners and I think we should maximise that! Now in my mind this is actually quite a practical thing and not just stupid questions, let me explain:

1. I have seen certain blogs in which individuals give us every miniscule detail of their days, sparing only the information as to whether they scrunched or folded the paper on their 2nd poo-dropping session that lasted 20mins in which they listened to 5 songs and solved the problems of the universe. Works for them but bores me!

2. I have seen other certain blogs that consist of so much(eqivalent of Calvin's Institutes per blog), and so frequent (5 times a day), profound spiritual material (often high-brow, ivory tower type stuff) that the writers are either a combination of the Apostle Paul, Augustine, Calvin, Luther and Piper rolled into one body, or there are certain people guilty of astronomical levels of plagiarism! Works for some but scares me!

3. The other option is that I am in fits of jealousy because I can't solve the world's problems on the toilet, am embarrassed to disclose my paper-handling techniques, and do not have anything of any benefit or encouragement or purpose to add on spiritual matters-at times maybe a credible option.

WHAT'S MY POINT?

In trying to figure out what is appropriate to share etc, which is a big deal because otherwise I won't write, a friend's words came to me again. Gary Boal, whose blog is linked here, originally sent out an e-mail asking people to jump on the Blog bandwagon, but he did so with a purpose. If I can remember rightly it was to have a presence for Jesus on the net, and to be of encouragement to one another, and in ways to establish an online community to enable more frequent contact and involvement in other people's lives. (Correct me if I'm wrong Gary!) That has helped clarify, for me, what I should do. I should write about Jesus and His great worth and immeasurable glory so His name may be seen and known on Blogworld; encourage the fellow blogging saints, either directly, or through what God is teaching and showing me in various ways, or what God is doing in me and with me; and then give details of everyday life so people who read can keep in contact and up-to-date with me and to enable us to share all of or lives with one another!

RANDOM?

To most, this blog will be stupid but to me it was a source of stress! Mainly because I do not want to waste precious time writng something that is of no benefit at all and of course I got worried that people might have to be tolde my toilet manner!! Listen, that is a private thing!

P.S

The blogs spoken of above do not belong to any friend or person with whom I currently have a connection! This is my disclaimer, I'm not dropping hints!!!

Whare are we heading?! Should we be?

So... these last few weeks, well months, have been...interesting? In alot of my studying I have returned to focus on the basics of the cross, salvation, our justification and all topics and doctrines that are associated. This has been due to a strong sense of my own total unworthiness in relation to the absolute worthiness of Jesus and His holiness and the need to focus on Him and what He has done. It has been an attempt to break away from my very common and regular tendency to slip into a mode of "earning my way" with God, among many other reasons.
It has been both an encouraging time and a frustrating time. Encouraging because I have been reminded that all that does matter and is important is the work of Christ on that cross and not His work supplemented by my effort. The most powerful reminder has come from the book of Romans in chapter 3. From chapter 1 verse 18 to chapter 3 verse 20, Paul outlines and, in thorough detail, sets before us God's indictment of the human race because of our sinfulness and rebellion against God. And this indictment is a universal condemnation as we see in chapter 3 verse 23 when he says "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (ESV). Then he moves into verse 21, following his summary in verse 20 ("For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his [God's] sight"), with the words "But now"- I love this transition because we know that something great and good is coming! "But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law...the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe". Nothing can be more encouraging- the righteousness of God apart from the law (we can't keep the law Rom 3v10-18), available through Christ (meeting the demands of God's holy justice) and accepted by faith! We can be free and it is not dependent on us! "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed...There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"- John 8v36, Romans 8v1.
Now after reading such glorious truth, you might be wondering how I meant it has been frustrating? The more I have lifted my eyes off myself and my own accomplishments and achievements and focused on Christ and His complete and perfect work, the more I have seen my own sin and failure. The more liberation I feel and know from the need to "earn my way" and just to long to live to say thank-you and please Jesus, the more evil I see in me. In some way, I guess, it is an echo with Paul when he says "So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand" (Romans 7v21). Jerry Bridges, in his book "The Pursuit of Holiness", said in relation to Romans 6v6-7 "Many Christians have a basic desire to live a holy life, but have come to believe they simply cannot do it...The promise of Romans 6v6-7 seems impossibly beyond them. The strong commands of Scripture to live a consistently holy life only frustrate them...In our search for answers to our sin problems, a troublesome question arises: 'What should I look to God for and what am I responsible for myself'". Now, I understand that our frustrations and struggles and temptations come at different and varying levels and degrees, but what do you think is the answer to Bridges' "troublesome question"? What do you think Paul's answer and response was to that same "troublesome question"?