upsetting the status quo – april 6

Reading Matthew 21:1-22, Highlighted passage 21:1-17

Two of the best known stories in the Bible. Jesus arrives in apparent triumph on a colt in fulfillment of the prophecy and then he turns over the money changers tables in the temple.

Jesus always seems to be what we don’t expect. I wonder would I be in the crowd or in the temple? Both have something in common – their expectations of Jesus are way off the mark.

Is it any different today? What has our experience of church become like? How much is it a house of prayer?

who wants persecution? – march 22

Reading: Matthew 10:16-42, Highlighted Reading: 10:16-25

For many who follow Jesus around the world these words are a daily reality. In many ways the freedom to speak out without fear is the unusual rather than the normal life for Christians.

But I wonder if that world is changing? What I have seen of the faith of others where the Christian faith is in a minority challenges me about how comfortable I can allow myself to be become. Maybe the persecuted church has something to teach us about what it means to truly follow Jesus. After all isn’t that what Jesus promised here? Persecution?

Are you uncomfortable enough? – march 17

Reading Matthew 9: Highlighted reading Matthew 9:9-17

I find myself deeply challenged by today’s passage. If I am to follow the example of Jesus who are the people I should spend time with? I wonder who would be seen in the same way in my society as tax collectors and siners were in Jesus’ day?

Then I wonder how willing I am to do the new daring radical thing? Am I in danger of simply patching up my way of doing things rather than look for new wineskins? What would new wineskinns look like today in seeking to share the good news with others?

jesus the terrifying!? – march 17

Reading: Matthew 8: Highlighted reading: Matthew 8:23-34

I wonder what type of Jesus I portray to others? I always want to avoid the gentle Jesus meek and mild but do I replace that with a loving caring forgiving Jesus: never offended, somehow friendly and compassionate. Of course we do see that in the way he deals with people – but to only portray that side would be false

Matthew contrasst the compassionate Jesus healing people with the frightening Jesus who people beg to leave then alone. When was the last time my picture of God was so awesome that I felt uncomfortable in his presence?

Not prayer again! – march 15

Reading: Matthew 6, Highlighted reading Matthew 6:5-14

Why is prayer the last resort rather than the first thing we do?

Jesus gives us a pattern for prayer – not just a set of words to be learnt and repeated (valuable as that is). The challenge today is to take that pattern – find 20 minutes on your own and write a prayer that covers the areas covered in ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. Then share your prayer here.

On a personal note I am still living with a challenge. Whilst in Egypt in November, I was deeply humbled by two things: 1) God working in a session on creative prayer which we had planned but which became not a training exercise but a real heart engagemernt, 2) The passion in prayer that I saw in people there – I have never seen that passion here. Learning to pray? I’m still just a novice!

Come follow me – March 11

Reading: Matthew 4: Highlighted reading Matthew 4:18-25

Jesus is tempted by the devil and is able to resist: this is the ideal preparation for the start to ministry. Trusting in God rather than his own ability; obedience at the heart.

We often imagine that it is the times of blessing in life that give us strength, but again and again it is the times when life is difficult and we are tempted not to trust God that are the times of growth in our lives.

How have the times of difficulty and temptation helped you to grow in your faith? Share some stories with others

Jesus calls the first disciples to follow him to join him as he starts his ministry. Think about God’s call on your life, the first time that you responded to his call and what it means for you to follow him today. As you do pray for the people who you will meet today, that you would be able to fulfill your calling to minister Jesus to them.

Ash Wednesday – March 9

The King is coming

Reading: Matthew 1 & 2: Highlighted reading Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew wants his readers to know that this gospel is about God fulfilling his promises from long ago. At last the King is coming. But he comes not in a palace but to two ordinary people from an insignicant town. The story of the angels’ visit to Joseph is a reminder that God always seems to work through the insignificant. (Notice that there are 4 women in the geneaology and explore their history to see how God does this to show that this is the way of the kingdom). God placed his son into the care of a human family – who would care for him and love him as he grew into adulthood.

Think about your own family. Thank God for the care and love they showed you. Think also about the people who have been significant in nurturing your spiritual growth and thank God for them

Why not thank God for these people publicly by adding a comment to this post expressing your gratitude?

ACTION: send a note, a card, an e-mail or a text to them to express your thanks and let them know that their efforts were worthwhile.

QUESTIONS? What are you waiting for God to do for you? What in this reading encourages you to keep trusting God while you wait?

LENT 2011

What are you doing for LENT 2011?

I hear lots of conversation about what people are giving up for LENT – chocolate, facebook, phones, TV and although I think some of these are very worthy, I wonder if they miss the point. The idea was that giving up these things is so that we can give more time to focus on God. Hence my real question which is…

‘What are you taking up for LENT that will help you get to know God better?’

Well if you aren’t doing anything here is a chance. As part of Biblefresh why not taking up a personal Bible reading challenge and interact with others via e-mail and/or facebook? My proposal is that we create a virtual group and join in with The Big Read 2011. The idea is to read through the whole of Matthew’s gospel during Lent and share what you learn with others. You can do this by joining the facebook group SU – The Big Read 2011 online here or by sending an e-mail to me with the subject line ‘SU – The Big Read 2011’.

What will happen then is

EITHER: every day you will get an e-mail that tells you what to read, asks a few pertinent questions and offers some other links to explore. These will be posted on my blog ‘To Ephesus and beyond’ and you will be able to comment there.

OR: you will get the same information via a facebook message and you can post your comments on that page.

So why not do something for LENT this year – it could change your life.

John Stephenson – Scripture Union

A New Kind of Youth Ministry

I want to use this space to post about youth ministry books and issues. The first of these was published in 2007. A New Kind of Youth Ministry by Chris Folmsbee. It is an easy read and has lots of good stuff in there – stuff worth looking at and taking on board. Worth looking at his blog too. But so far this year I’ve began to wonder about the American Youth Minstry model. It seems to be programmatic and professional as opposed to relational and voluntary. Many of the shifts described in the book are excellent but are hard anyone other than highly trained workforce to do. I was staggered to hear that in parts of the States church attendance by teenagers runs at 40%. No wonder the issues they face are different to us.

On a positive note, I love the idea of ‘reculturing’ youth ministry. So much of what we do is passed down without much thought. We too often stick with methods and ideas that worked ten years ago without realising that we live in a different world. I was personally challenged by the contrast between ‘spiritual formation’ and ‘biblical information’. We need so much to be allowing God to transform our lives and helping others to do the same.

The Jesuits haves ome great resources to help with that. Their ‘Sacred Space’ website and ‘Pray as you go’ are great – so different to the tradition I am used to and yet so helpful. These have been helpful in reminding me of our own Scripture Union bible engagement site ‘WordLive.‘
I’m sure I will return to this book a lot as there are some gems – but mainly because as I continue on this journey of challenge with God, I sense that he is going to ‘reculture’ my faith. That will certainly be an adventure.