I recently read this article from the Leadership Journal at Christianity Today about Gen Y or the Millennial Generation or whatever you want to call them (technically, I should say ‘us’ since I make it in on the cusp of some descriptions of Gen Y, albeit not others!). It suggests, based on the writer’s experience, … Continue reading »
Posted in September 2011 …
The God of happiness
In our pursuit of happiness, it isn’t happiness alone we pursue but the God of happiness, the only one who can make us happy. If we want to be happy, we must listen to the Joy Giver and obey Him in all things…His voice is the voice of joy. Some quotations need no commentary – … Continue reading »
Journalling, shopping lists and the process of becoming
Journalling is one of those habits which most supports my faith development. I do so love to reread the records of God’s faithfulness to me. It’s like having your own book of psalms of remembrance! As I go back over my entries, I relive the pain, I remember the desperate prayers and I enter again … Continue reading »
In the King’s arms
When joy’s heart breaks, it’s because joy feels free and safe enough to embrace everything, even the feeling of falling to pieces. Mike Mason, Champagne for the Soul I was reminded of this safety only last week as God spoke to me through a pub sign as I passed by. I know, prophetic pub signs…who … Continue reading »
Crazy, hilarious, joy-filled churches
How do I know that I know the gospel? I know it by the joy it gives me. I read this a couple of weeks ago in Mike Mason’s extended reflection on joy, Champagne for the Soul. We had just celebrated our sixth anniversary as a church and it had been a Sunday of great … Continue reading »
First steps on the water!
Well, here I am with one week to go before the official induction for research students. I am ready to learn lots of very interesting things which will better equip me (I hope!) for this crazy research journey. The induction also includes what would be my third library tour in four years. But as the … Continue reading »
A bit of news
I’ve been nominated as a finalist for the Christian New Media Awards 2011 in the category entitled ‘most inspiring leadership blog’! I did put my name forward about three months ago but I had completely forgotten about it until the other day when I got notified. Anyway, what it has meant in practice is that I … Continue reading »
Becoming a pastor who is not in a hurry
Here’s something which has given me a lot of pause for thought in the last few days: I was in the process of coming to terms with my congregation as they were: their less-than-developed emotional life, their lack of intellectual curiosity, their complacent acceptance of a world of consumption and diversion, their seemingly peripheral interest … Continue reading »
Stories
Eugene Peterson’s The Pastor again in a reflection upon the role of story in pastoral leadership… …congregation is a place of stories. The stories of Jesus, to be sure. But also the stories of men and women… It is never just my story; it is a community of stories. I learn my story in company with … Continue reading »
A new read – add it to your list!
My ‘work’ assignment was to pay more attention to what God does than what I do, and to find, and guide others to find, the daily, weekly, yearly rhythms that would get this awareness into our bones. Holy Saturday for a start. And then Sabbath keeping. Staying in touch with people in despair, knowing them … Continue reading »
