Tank or donkey?

What would your choice be: a tank (if you can afford the diesel) or a donkey? Both are available, and the former says “power” or potentially “destruction” all over it, whilst the latter is largely harmless, and is so counter to our modern culture that it's highly likely to be mocked and screamed at from across our streets.

Inevitably, our thoughts right now are full of worry, apprehension and concern about the war taking place in the Middle East, and within Iran. This week hopes have been raised when POTUS stated that peace talks had in fact been initiated and in his own hapless way expressed the hope that they lead to something otherwise, “we’ll just keep bombing our little hearts out.” Seemingly a choice between the way of aggression and domination, and the way of peace. The former is about power, and the latter seemingly worthy of mockery.

We are presented with two choices in the biblical account of Easter, which is so up to date for our struggles, challenges and choices for our lives today. In the days before the Passover supper, arrest of Jesus, his stitched up trial and crucifixion, Judas hopes that Jesus will arrive in Jerusalem in power and authority (assuming legions of Angels) and deal with the Romans and their abusive military power and dominance. Jesus confounds Judas’ hopes by arriving on a donkey instead, thus showing a very different kind of Kingdom which has nothing to do with the abuse or display of human power.

Palm Sunday, Holy week, Good Friday, Easter Sunday provides us with a distinctly different choice on how we live our lives. Not for Jesus, the way of the tank, but that of the peaceful donkey. As Pope Leo recently stated, “God does not go to war!”

I love this Methodist prayer: “Come to us as you came to Jerusalem, not wrapped in dominance, but clothed in humility. Teach us to recognise your presence in the ordinary, vulnerable and overlooked. Open our hearts to peace that confronts violence, to justice that repairs harm, our voices to praise that become action. Through Christ, who comes gently and truthfully, we pray.”

Is public prayer wrong? (the right wing object to public prayer)

In today's national papers there are articles about whether "Public Prayer is un-British"(Telegraph) and brought to prominence by an Islamic gathering for prayer in Trafalgar Square of 3000 Muslims. Lest you immediately conclude that this is something that is typical of the Telegraph (The CofE newspaper), then you'd need to read more widely and see it's been picked up across the board. Actually, look a bit more closely at today's papers and you will find a number of Islamic stories running today, and the sharp will realise that this is in all probability to do with Ramadam, which Muslims are engaged in at the moment.

The right wing traditionalists are up in horror at such a spectacle happening so publicly and are arguing that in a Christian country, such public worship and prayer shouldn't be happening, and should be confined to Mosques. They are seeking to put the blame for this event at the feet of the Mayor of London.

It's fascinating that my preparation for my Sunday preach (at YBC) is Acts 17: 16-34 where Paul visits Athens and in particular the Aereopagus and comments on the many stone idols they have, and the one to the unknown God. Interestingly, the best translation (RSV) of vs 16 isn't that he's angry, it's that he's provoked! It's worth noting that.

For sure we now live in a post-Christian country, and whilst the state church does its bit, it's hardly what you'd call prophetic or dynamic, but the UK is now very much like the Athenian supermarket of faith: there are numerous religious experiences, some mere stone monuments, others sincere, but what above all else is true, is that Christians no longer have a closed-shop on public prayer or worship. Why should we? The right wing are so behind the curve on this that it's a tad embarrassing.  And any argument that other faiths shouldn't be permitted somewhat stinks of hypocrisy. Christians will in just 2 weeks carry the cross through the streets and declare the death and resurrection of the one true Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ - Jesus is Lord, Christ is risen! The Gospel via the resurrection, stands on its own - fact! Paul in Athens doesn't tell the Greeks off for their stone monuments, he is provoked to passionate Gospel proclamation - "the one true God."

Then again, there is a sense here in which those who object are yet to catch up with power of the Gospel and how we should not be ashamed of it. Merely trying to object to JWs or New Age shops in the High Street seems archaic, unless you are arguing about how it reflects on the Christians of the town. Don't get me started about the embarrassing actions of anti-Harry-Potter-ites from 25 years ago either (feel free to google that one)! I'm more likely to object to the embarrassing Christian street preacher who makes me cringe and not want to be at all aligned with them - but that may just be me. Somehow even they seem not really Gospel-rooted, just noise!

So we should be careful to remember Paul when faced with the stone gods, doesn't tear them down, he merely is secure and passionate in the Gospel and the true God of the Scriptures.

Welcome to the brave missional opportunistic world!

When you run out of words

 Well, I can't speak for you, but at the moment, I've run out of words. 'Thank goodness', you say. 'At last, some peace and quiet!' What am I thinking about? The Iran war ofcourse. And again, I'll make no assumptions about your views, "Dearest Gentle Reader", but I am aghast at how this could be happening, and how we now seem to be in world freefall. The only view I have is, I guess, one that essentially is a Christian one, which leans towards a "war is wrong" view. I wouldn't say I was a pacifist, but I hate the thought of war, and the wilful destruction of innocent lives and institutions that are bystanders to the abuse of political power by unstable, unqualified, out-of-control world leaders.

In my previous church, we had a weird moment where we were all invited to the local USAF military base, to the firing range, to try out some guns. The officer in charge was part of our church, and remains a friend, but I hated the feel of the gun in my hand and its potential for violence, and even when we had our son's paintball party, I struggled at the whole thought of hurting anyone.

18 months ago I wrote in the wbc church magazine that in my view, sadly, it seemed inevitable that globally we were headed for some kind of conflict. Well, conflict is what we have right now. There are arguments that attempt to justify the rightness of the war, to do with the threat of nuclear bombs, and I guess they need to be heard, but how we have ended up in this mess is beyond me. Even as I type, I have shaken my head in disbelief. War does not seem to be an answer, nor should it be an inevitability, and if this is all a cover for other American political issues, then I can only pray that sooner rather than later, the necessary accountability of the American voters, and the two representative Houses of Government will step in.

It's so difficult to pray about all of this. And when you read (as I do) the regular news feeds and live reports, one ends up feeling almost stunned into silence. But pray about it we must. The consequences and ramifications of all of this are so far reaching, and very scary indeed. Hanging on to the Lord in all of this is vital.

Thats enough of that for now!

Holy Week and Easter will soon be upon us, and I can't believe how fast time is moving. And herein lies some important foundations. Stopping and slowing down to truly reflect on the awfulness of Holy Week, and the awfulness of the victorious cross is necessary. In a world where our lives spin ever faster, we have no hope of fully understanding the depth of love of our Saviour, unless we stop and look at the cross ourselves. Then and only then can Easter Sunday and its joy be fully embraced.

Can I ask you to pray please about the two Easter school assemblies I have in a week's time? It's so difficult to communicate the death of Jesus to a secularised scholastic culture.

Finally, I crave your prayers, please. I wouldn't normally bother mentioning this, but I'm in pain, and I'm hating it. I don't know what's happening, but my right knee is agony at the moment, and I've had enough of it. At the start of the year it was my left leg, now it's my right one! It's affecting me in the daytime and I've no idea what's happening now to cause it, and I can't get a Doctor's appointment, as there are none. I'm sure your situation is worse than mine, but I'm a wimp when it comes to pain.

God bless you this Easter!

Pastor Sam

Mid week musings

 I was saddened and taken-a-back this morning by the photo in The Times marking the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. Of course my reaction was illogical (there are thousands more, and on both sides), but the shock I felt stopped me quite suddenly. This is on a par with the great World Wars. The article I read recorded that where once Ukrainians were calling for revenge, that all they want now is peace.

I was musing this morning upon how when I trained for the Ministry at Spurgeons, that all of the "how to do .." ministry books suggested good answer machines, phones by the bed for night pastoral care, and in one case a Minister friend used to have a ring-code for his family so that he would know when to answer (they would phone and let it ring twice, then put the phone down, then re-dial and he knew to pick up), and I distinctly remember the then Baptist icon Steve Chalke who was one of my fellow students, turning up with a black brick phone, which made us all mavel at how high-tek he was. Now Smartphones have completely turned most of our lives upside down (and the job of Ministry too), and landlines are almost dead. We no longer blink at instantly dialling or messaging. So for me getting through my day off yesterday and attempting to ignore most of my church based coms was a massive challenge. The trouble with the tiniest of ministry coms is that it sparks a forest of thoughts. Having a "day clear for the recovery and restoration" - a sabbath, is impossible, particularly when the mobile goes a buzzing!

The lighter and brighter days are hopefully beginning to have a positive effect on everyone, and whilst today is set to be a heat wave and the week pretty dry, we haven't thrown it all off yet. After all, "April Showers" is still well written into British-psyche. And so we start to awaken and feel the need to do new things. I haven't yet heard the first lawnmower though. People start cleaning, writing lists, making plans.

I have started making a list too and my love-hate relationship with them always surfaces: writing a list feels somehow carthatic, until that is, the list becomes too big, or even too detailed. The trouble is that writing it down solves little, until the task is completed, and its in the ticking-off that it feels very satisfying. For me, the world of list-writing is full of uncertainties: too much on the list and I feel defeated.  And where has that bit of paper actually now gone, which was such a brilliant list? Writing the list feels fine, but then other stuff often invades, and the help of using a list seems to wither away rapidly. Lists make me feel somewhat driven, when often I find myself more here and there and everywhere! Lists can make me feel satisfied that I have achieved something, and in the next breath defeated by my lack of achievement. I have an electronc list I haven't looked at in ages - that drives me too much, but at least I don't lose it. The most useful tool I have in my mind is to "elephant task" jobs, and by doing that it feels far more productive and satisfying. If you don't know what that is - please feel free to ask!

I posted on Baptst Ministers FB page last week at how I had had a conversation with a fellow church leader in the town as to why on earth the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" is always held at the worst time of year: when its dark and wet and no one comes out! The question I posed was who decides what this date is, and apparently its "The World Council of Churches" and usually in a EST climate. The sub question I posted was whether any other towns do their own thing and hold it at different times of year, more conducive to attendance and unity? The responses poured in: most definitely - Pentecost, Summer Time, and "do whatever suits you". It seems that the way ahead is obvious.

As a Baptist flavoured Christian pastoring a Baptist Church, I often reflect upon how our ecclesiology is different to other tribes. We absolutely believe in the gathered church. This means that when we come together we are the church, wherever that is. When we don't, we stop being the church. That means that in a Baptist Church, you cannot be a Church Member if you stop attending worship. There is no membership card or lifetime membership. It's possible to be away for a short few weeks, but intentionally staying away isn't an option, in the same way that if you start attending somewhere else, that the expectation is that you have cleaved to that church and left your former church. It's important that the integrity of this doctrine is honoured and personal integrity with it too.

What will we do with Easter this year?

 As I meandered through the high street this morning, I noticed that the Coop had decided to "go Eatser-ish" and put up a banner display, with the inevitable chicken and egg display. In the commercial reality of today, it is somewhat late to the stage. Afterall, Lidl were stocking their chocolate eggs during Christmas. I cannot abide this commercial pushing of the seasonal boundaries. Christmas isn't Easter, and it's definitely not Easter yet, in the same way that Advent isn't Christmas, even though (yet again) you could buy mince pies in Lidl in September.

None of these rants reflect where my mind went this morning.

First, I felt sad that in the gloom that our nation is in at the moment, that this seemed like the next "moment" that commercially and socially was on offer and which the community (we might logically conclude) might look forward to next. Really? A few chocolate eggs! Though of course, there is now this accepted secularism that the eggs and the Spring flowers and the change of the hour is essentially the launch of summer in the UK. And so we spin round and round through the seasons. Seems fairly empty to me. Where is the real hope?

Second, I felt - surely we can (as Christians) do better than this? In fact - far better! So how will we present the glorious life changing moment of the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, that is so powerfully different to a few chocolate eggs? What will we do with it? How will we communicate it?

Or will we merely fall into the secular trap and go with it?

BTW, I'm already booked for my 2 Easter assemblies in WP and BG. It's one of the hardest biblical themes to present to children. Presenting the execution of Jesus is exceptionally difficult and to do so by being true to the Gospel, without getting into trouble and causing upset ("Mum, the Baptist Minister came into assembly today and talked about nails being hammered into Jesus on the cross."

Value your prayers on that!!!

Out of the Ashes: The journey

There are often days for me when I literally push my feet onto the floor from bed, and there is the beginnings of an article that I want to write straightaway. I somehow doubt that there is a hidden author in me, let me rush to assure you and the rest of the world! In all probability it's the preacher in me, and the "interesting ideas factory" in my head - well that's what I'll convince myself for the time being, anyway. Some days, the Sunday sermon is often concluded in the morning shower, which initiates a whole series of reflections. The trouble is that by the time I have come downstairs and faced realities, a flood of other things along the lines of "must-dos" have infiltrated my mind. These are an array of mundane things to do around the house: cleaning, repairs, paperwork, and on the days when my wife, Claire, is working, it's "what shall I cook for supper tonight?" Don't get too impressed, I am a lousy and boring cook.

There are other not insignificant things that I carry: I look after our mother's finances and other matters, run the family business as a landlord, and that's before I think of the ministry things I do: District Minister, Moderating a local church, British Legion Chaplain, local Public School input, and local schools work.

Once those thoughts have invaded my mind, the initial inspiration to write, ends up being swept away and I feel the stress beginning to weigh heavily upon my shoulders. Inspiration is replaced by the mundane.

I recently stopped over the last 2 few weeks. In all honesty the crisis in my emotions had now reached its impending reality - please feel free to laugh, but for me it felt like a crisis for which I had no control. Underneath I was in freefall. The turning of my age clock, which for me is February, brought me to 60 and I hated the very thought. It had been worrying me for many months, and I was determined that after a crazy December, and outrageous January, that what I absolutely needed to do was stop and face this crunch moment head-on. I don't feel 60, I didn't want it to happen, but now it has. Stopping was not straightforward, I even missed my annual Minister's Retreat! But I said to many of the groups I had involvement with - "Nah, I'm not available then!" For some, saying "no" to them was not acceptable, and I was chased by email by some, and they were not willing to give in. "No!" was my answer. I had to live with the feeling that I had let them down. Tough! I needed this time to face this crucial change in me.

And my birthday was great. Spending this time surrounded by my lovely family by the sea, was a great tonic. They made me feel very much safe, loved and at peace.

Stopping has been good for me. It's been clear for a while that, not for the first time, there are too many plates spinning for me. Careful reflection is required. Once you are past 60, you start to think about pace of life and what you want to do, rather than what you should do. I value your prayers in this.

This morning I sat in bed and listened to R4 "Thought for the day" with Canon Angela Tilby, who spoke on Ash Wednesday. This is the day that we need (she said) to face our mortality - yikes! Yet far from it being a negative or gloomy prospect, facing our humanity and its limitations is precisely what every Christian needs to do. We are indeed finite and there is one life, and this is it. We were born, and one day we shall die. Ash Wednesday and Lent invites us to face our mortality head on.

Re-visiting the Iron age

 Why such a title? Well, I last blogged (when many were, but aren't now-a-days) some 4 to 5 years ago, and looking back at what was written then, it seems like visiting ancient history!

But here we are again, and I can't help but wonder whether these things might just go around in circles.

But the thing to do these days is to Vlog, but then (from my humble experience) we seem to enter into a not-so-easy life of video file size and whether something can infact be uploaded or not. That's not completely true as I've done my own fair share of vlogging. 

But here's the reality check: we've finally decided to experiment with un-papering the church magazine, and go digital. Microsoft are removing their Publisher program from their lineup, and that, plus a few practicalities, raises the question. And that raises a new set of problems, and one where how we can continue to "magazine" on our new Joyned channel. Enough blab - I bore you! Well this is the Pastor's script in digital form.

The brighter mornings are at long last revealing themselves as we meander towards BST. And thank goodness. It has been an abysmal winter and virtually everyone - apart from the ducks, have struggled through these weeks just hoping for change: a sunny day or at least a dry one. It has left us feeling weary and somewhat disillusioned. Allied to the extraordinary world political crazy events, and our own national ones - and don't forget the pot holes and road works (which seem merely a micro-picture of our deeper dismays), it has, I imagine, left many struggling with hope, and whether the lunacy might stop and better days be ahead.

Here at WBC, despite these dark days, we have continued to be strong in worship and fellowship together, and have indeed been encouraged by our common life together. With another Baptism and our reflections around the Motto Text, there has been a sense of God's presence and of joy amongst us. Long may it continue. And we have not been without our church family pastoral challenges, and these have been never far from our prayers and concerns.

As we look to the future "brighter" months, may we know hope in our hearts, God's peace in our minds, God's grace in our mouths and actions, and His ongoing strength in all that lies ahead.

Pastor Sam