So I've finally given in to what I had always said I wouldn't do!
To briefly sign up for the local gym. I say briefly, because it is in essence a GP referall scheme membership of 8 weeks only. Please don't get the wrong idea here; the GP did not look at me and laugh and say "you need to do this!" I actually asked him for it, knowing there was a price cut advantage. He then reached for his forms, finally found them, and then laughed! No, he was far too professional to laugh, but was that the squeeky door as I left or a strange snigger of hilarity?
Anyway, I object to doing to the gym and paying for it. Give it to me free and maybe I'd be there, but there just seems to be a sense that running on a treadmill and being charged for it, somehow goes against the grain when I could just go and jog. Well that's my argument anyway.
On the other hand, I've now been to the gym about 4 times in the last 8 days, so there must be something working in the concept of it all. So now I have this choice of running treadmill, odd skiing machine - or thats what the bloke said, a cycle machine and then the old fashioned weights and clunking machines. Yes there is pain, and yes a building up of sweat, but the surreal thing is that I can watch TV as I do so. Yesterday it was the tennis at Eastbourne, and I kid you not, running my allotted time on the belt I could fairly nicely follow the game and guess the shots. And yes, though everything in me cries "don't go", I'm managing to be deaf to the deep screams within.
Downstairs it's a different story; yesterday whilst doing my stuff I became aware of the almost Rhino like screams and trumpetting noises of some bloke as literally fought the block of weights to make them go up. Far too dramatic for me, I was going for reps!
But it feels great after the gym; somehow I feel more alive, and with it, until early evening, and thats when I seem to suddenly crash out!
I suppose the worst part of it all is that some of the machines I just cannot fathom. As much as I press every button, it will just not do what I want it to do.
So watch this space. I can feel a new fit Pastor forming!
Sam Griffiths Pastor of Wellington Baptist Church, Somerset.
Thursday, 20 June 2013
Wednesday, 17 April 2013
Of Thatcher, leadership and grace
The death in the past week and today's funeral of Lady Thatcher has brought numerous reactions from all ends of the spectrum of politics, from the ordinary person in the street of the United Kingdom, as well as globally from prominent world leaders of the past and present.
As a '66 baby, I grew up in Thatcher's time in Politics as PM, so I believe I, like many others of this era, am qualified to make some small comment - even if it's subjective nonsense! I make these comments not showing any political colours - I cannot say growing up in Thatcher's Britain was easy, but our nation needed leadership and cometh the hour cometh the leader. And without a doubt she was a leader who had an enormous effect upon our country, and this in and of itself brings different reactions.
For the record, Churchill was our WW2 champion - given a state funeral, and rightly so! Cometh the hour, cometh the man! But Churchill was useless as a peace time PM and people disliked him for it and rapidly voted him out! Never let us forget that people allow themselves to go forward for public office - no easy ride or call. They do so to serve our nation - no easy task - would you like to do that? And are mandated by the people in vote - nb here, we get what we vote for! And some but not all reach the highest office in the land to serve our country - there are many good Politicians, but to be 'First Lord of the Treasury' is the big one! Big demand and normally a person of extreme ability where hard work, pressure, little rest - and yes pressure on the family too. That in and of itself is worthy of our thanks - to any PM of any colour. And I have no problem with any former PM, whether Blair or Brown or Cameron receiving such a funeral - whatever my opinions. Or will there be objectors at Blair's funeral over the Iraq war? If the nation wants no statesmen or stateswomen in the future, then don't bother honouring them! But in truth, all are worthy of our honour and thanks. And all were and are human beings who served to the best of their abilities, even if some decisions were wrong or badly handled.
But I have been unsettled and dismayed at some of the quite offensive reactions from some leaders of today, as well as by people celebrating, having parties, supporting "wicked witch" singles, turning their backs, blogging or social networking quite unnecessarily rude comments and statements. These are not the values of our British society, and whilst yes, there is a democratic right and freedom to express opinion, what is it that makes us feel we have a right to degenerate and be rude at someone's death? This is the direct opposite of the Christian fruit of grace and mercy, and against the principles and values of our country.
When someone dies we are always filled with numerous emotions, but with a death comes a funeral, and with a death comes grieving relatives - and Margaret Thatcher was a mother, a husband, a grandmother and a human being. In otherwords people are involved.
I have learnt as a Pastor over the years, that whenever a death and funeral arrives, my task is to commend someone into the hands of a loving and merciful God, and to pray and support their family and relatives. Actually I think that is the task of us all! Whatever we may feel.
But it is never appropriate to be rude, judgemental and offensive at these times. There will come a time when history - either in the micro-picture of family discussion or reflection or the national archives of history, which will be the appropriate judge of all of our lives in this world, and spiritually as the scriptures tell us - God is the spiritual and ultimate judge of our lives. And note that this is God's task and his alone! I do find many people seem to want to do God's job of judgement for him. But let not one of us ever think we are any more superior than another, let alone a stateswoman, in terms of our own track records and lives.
And this got me thinking about Leadership and Margaret Thatcher. One of the over-riding images I have of her is that she was a Leader. And Leaders often get a bad press. It comes with the territory mind you. It was said to me "if you stick your head out, expect to get it cut off!" I don't think thats a french revolution comment by the way!
But the one central main task of being a leader is to lead. There are followers - yes, and an awful lot of them, but perhaps in our political world today - not many leaders. Perhaps not of her calibre anyway. Ask any leader and they would more than happily give up sometimes and simply be a follower. Being a follower is easy! But being a Leader is a difficult and lonely task because as much as it's absolutely right to consult, consider and research, reflect, ask for opinion and be as collective as possible, sometimes leadership requires you and you alone to make a final decision. When you look for someone else to make this with you or for you, often many have deserted to the hills or the burrows! Leadership is always accountable, but often it is painful and lonely. As much as the leader - himself or herself requires someone else to make the decision, the central task of leadership is to lead. Even if its uncomfortable and sometimes unpopular.
Are leaders born or made? Good question! Probably both and probably never only born and never only made. In otherwords good leaders learn from their mistakes and from growing in life.
Yes we may want to make sweeping judements of leaders. Some of these may well be cheap and unworthy - why? Because we are not them. And we simply don't know the whole picture. We weren't there and were not privy to all of the information - some confidential, some secret, some only for the eyes and ears of leaders. Quick to judge? Do so and it might well be unfair and unworthy because we are not them, and we are not in their shoes. Judge without the full facts? Many of us do and jump to the wrong conclusions. And that is unfair. But the nature of leadership is sometimes, often, that things are confidential, come what may. Leadership requires gifts that not all have. Thats why some are not leaders, but followers. It's so much easier being a follower - no responsibilities! But at the end of the day, leaders must lead. And leaders must pay the cost of leading - often a high cost, of being misunderstood. The Bible has much to say on this - leaders will be judged far more than others.
So let us let history be the final mortal judge, and God the final spiritual judge. But let none of us be offensive. Yes if there is evil present - as in the case of Hitler or others, then we have a right to speak out and if necessary to take up weapons, but for our Prime Ministers let us give thanks to them for their service, honour their memory and pray for their grieving families. And let us pray and work for a country that has the moral backbone to the know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil and to behave properly. And let us pray for leaders everywhere.
As a '66 baby, I grew up in Thatcher's time in Politics as PM, so I believe I, like many others of this era, am qualified to make some small comment - even if it's subjective nonsense! I make these comments not showing any political colours - I cannot say growing up in Thatcher's Britain was easy, but our nation needed leadership and cometh the hour cometh the leader. And without a doubt she was a leader who had an enormous effect upon our country, and this in and of itself brings different reactions.
For the record, Churchill was our WW2 champion - given a state funeral, and rightly so! Cometh the hour, cometh the man! But Churchill was useless as a peace time PM and people disliked him for it and rapidly voted him out! Never let us forget that people allow themselves to go forward for public office - no easy ride or call. They do so to serve our nation - no easy task - would you like to do that? And are mandated by the people in vote - nb here, we get what we vote for! And some but not all reach the highest office in the land to serve our country - there are many good Politicians, but to be 'First Lord of the Treasury' is the big one! Big demand and normally a person of extreme ability where hard work, pressure, little rest - and yes pressure on the family too. That in and of itself is worthy of our thanks - to any PM of any colour. And I have no problem with any former PM, whether Blair or Brown or Cameron receiving such a funeral - whatever my opinions. Or will there be objectors at Blair's funeral over the Iraq war? If the nation wants no statesmen or stateswomen in the future, then don't bother honouring them! But in truth, all are worthy of our honour and thanks. And all were and are human beings who served to the best of their abilities, even if some decisions were wrong or badly handled.
But I have been unsettled and dismayed at some of the quite offensive reactions from some leaders of today, as well as by people celebrating, having parties, supporting "wicked witch" singles, turning their backs, blogging or social networking quite unnecessarily rude comments and statements. These are not the values of our British society, and whilst yes, there is a democratic right and freedom to express opinion, what is it that makes us feel we have a right to degenerate and be rude at someone's death? This is the direct opposite of the Christian fruit of grace and mercy, and against the principles and values of our country.
When someone dies we are always filled with numerous emotions, but with a death comes a funeral, and with a death comes grieving relatives - and Margaret Thatcher was a mother, a husband, a grandmother and a human being. In otherwords people are involved.
I have learnt as a Pastor over the years, that whenever a death and funeral arrives, my task is to commend someone into the hands of a loving and merciful God, and to pray and support their family and relatives. Actually I think that is the task of us all! Whatever we may feel.
But it is never appropriate to be rude, judgemental and offensive at these times. There will come a time when history - either in the micro-picture of family discussion or reflection or the national archives of history, which will be the appropriate judge of all of our lives in this world, and spiritually as the scriptures tell us - God is the spiritual and ultimate judge of our lives. And note that this is God's task and his alone! I do find many people seem to want to do God's job of judgement for him. But let not one of us ever think we are any more superior than another, let alone a stateswoman, in terms of our own track records and lives.
And this got me thinking about Leadership and Margaret Thatcher. One of the over-riding images I have of her is that she was a Leader. And Leaders often get a bad press. It comes with the territory mind you. It was said to me "if you stick your head out, expect to get it cut off!" I don't think thats a french revolution comment by the way!
But the one central main task of being a leader is to lead. There are followers - yes, and an awful lot of them, but perhaps in our political world today - not many leaders. Perhaps not of her calibre anyway. Ask any leader and they would more than happily give up sometimes and simply be a follower. Being a follower is easy! But being a Leader is a difficult and lonely task because as much as it's absolutely right to consult, consider and research, reflect, ask for opinion and be as collective as possible, sometimes leadership requires you and you alone to make a final decision. When you look for someone else to make this with you or for you, often many have deserted to the hills or the burrows! Leadership is always accountable, but often it is painful and lonely. As much as the leader - himself or herself requires someone else to make the decision, the central task of leadership is to lead. Even if its uncomfortable and sometimes unpopular.
Are leaders born or made? Good question! Probably both and probably never only born and never only made. In otherwords good leaders learn from their mistakes and from growing in life.
Yes we may want to make sweeping judements of leaders. Some of these may well be cheap and unworthy - why? Because we are not them. And we simply don't know the whole picture. We weren't there and were not privy to all of the information - some confidential, some secret, some only for the eyes and ears of leaders. Quick to judge? Do so and it might well be unfair and unworthy because we are not them, and we are not in their shoes. Judge without the full facts? Many of us do and jump to the wrong conclusions. And that is unfair. But the nature of leadership is sometimes, often, that things are confidential, come what may. Leadership requires gifts that not all have. Thats why some are not leaders, but followers. It's so much easier being a follower - no responsibilities! But at the end of the day, leaders must lead. And leaders must pay the cost of leading - often a high cost, of being misunderstood. The Bible has much to say on this - leaders will be judged far more than others.
So let us let history be the final mortal judge, and God the final spiritual judge. But let none of us be offensive. Yes if there is evil present - as in the case of Hitler or others, then we have a right to speak out and if necessary to take up weapons, but for our Prime Ministers let us give thanks to them for their service, honour their memory and pray for their grieving families. And let us pray and work for a country that has the moral backbone to the know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil and to behave properly. And let us pray for leaders everywhere.
Friday, 8 February 2013
Why is the church rubbish at learning styles
I've got to say that in general, the church is rubbish at learning styles! There is this expectation, albeit that maybe attached to the generations - "maybe", that seems to think that one size fits all. And it doesn't!
In other words, it expects everyone to come along to the traditional features of church life - a congregation, to stand in a line, sing, and then sit and listen to a sermon, dribbled out by a mono-tone voice, that is seemingly unending for 30 minutes, or even worse! I suppose that some may jump up at this point and attempt to mitigate - "Oh but we have powerpoint now" [aka 'death by powerpoint'], "and we even show video, and stuff like that", but to be honest that's as far as it goes as an attempt in this direction. Oh by the way, the church's decision to "go multi-media" was never a primary response to learning styles, it was more a case of "everyone's got it, so we'd better have it!" But enough of this TV generation twaddle, because learning styles "stuff" is far more than anything to do with a screen.
To be honest, I was cheated and badly in my school upbringing. There was only one learning style in the 70's and 80's, and that was sit down, face the front, learn by heart, repeat parrot fashion, write in neat lines, remember, and most of all - reproduce all that twaddle in the exam. And, success was judged on whether you did well in that exam. And in those days, if you didn't fit into the Grammar School framework of this one learning style, then you got relegated to secondary modern school, and deemed unfairly by the populous to be "not bright". As for me, I was forced and squeezed by my parents into the then changing environment from Grammar to Comprehensive education system, but which in it's transfer was largely still of that one same learning style. Essentially all the teachers who had been in the Grammar School were switched into the comprehensive system, but kept teaching the one learning style. That's why I flunked not once, but twice my O levels. And Maths too - 4 times! I should have been in the secondary mod stream by all rights, but my parents couldn't face the realities of this, and so "hit with the hammer" the small nail which was me, into the system, and it was flipping painful. But I left college later with A's in a good few O levels, 9 if I remember rightly, and maths - a B, and head held high. But to this day, I remember the agony of walking to the window of the school to see my results with my mum, knowing what they would say, and just wanting to die.
My learning style is quite practical actually. I learn by both doing, watching, listening and then reading - in that order. I don't think it's just a man thing. Schools are big now - and have been for oodles of years, on finding out what your learning style is, and then going with it. No shame, we're all different.
So why doesn't the church adapt and take this "no-brainer" stuff on board? For example, I know that if I don't preach exegetically - in the standard "Spurgeonic" way, that I will get complaints. I've somehow committed the 8th deadly sin somehow by having the same aim of teaching the bible and it's principles if I go about it differently in a small group study or discussion. Same result? You bet! If not better than the one church learning style of the sermon!
Am I having a downer on the sermon? Yes, no, maybe! There are thousands upon thousands of better preachers than me. I've noticed different congregation reactions in 25 years of preaching. How lovely and wonderful= naff sermon Pastor! Silence - nothing said = you possibly borred me! Anger and animated responses = you really hit home, and because of that I'm cross with you, so you'd better hear what I've got to say!
I have a love-hate relationship with the exogetical sermon. Spurgeon's spewed us all out of the college sausage machine saying "this is it, walk ye in it!" [or else]. I'd probably get criticised left, right and centre in the sermon class we all underwent. But hey, ho! This last sunday I merely preached on a difficult passage, didn't go to the door and went quietly to my office and desk, sat for 5 minutes, then put my coat on, gathered the kids, and went home. I didn't want to hear anything feedback. Not sure why, but I just needed to.
So what's your learning style?
In other words, it expects everyone to come along to the traditional features of church life - a congregation, to stand in a line, sing, and then sit and listen to a sermon, dribbled out by a mono-tone voice, that is seemingly unending for 30 minutes, or even worse! I suppose that some may jump up at this point and attempt to mitigate - "Oh but we have powerpoint now" [aka 'death by powerpoint'], "and we even show video, and stuff like that", but to be honest that's as far as it goes as an attempt in this direction. Oh by the way, the church's decision to "go multi-media" was never a primary response to learning styles, it was more a case of "everyone's got it, so we'd better have it!" But enough of this TV generation twaddle, because learning styles "stuff" is far more than anything to do with a screen.
To be honest, I was cheated and badly in my school upbringing. There was only one learning style in the 70's and 80's, and that was sit down, face the front, learn by heart, repeat parrot fashion, write in neat lines, remember, and most of all - reproduce all that twaddle in the exam. And, success was judged on whether you did well in that exam. And in those days, if you didn't fit into the Grammar School framework of this one learning style, then you got relegated to secondary modern school, and deemed unfairly by the populous to be "not bright". As for me, I was forced and squeezed by my parents into the then changing environment from Grammar to Comprehensive education system, but which in it's transfer was largely still of that one same learning style. Essentially all the teachers who had been in the Grammar School were switched into the comprehensive system, but kept teaching the one learning style. That's why I flunked not once, but twice my O levels. And Maths too - 4 times! I should have been in the secondary mod stream by all rights, but my parents couldn't face the realities of this, and so "hit with the hammer" the small nail which was me, into the system, and it was flipping painful. But I left college later with A's in a good few O levels, 9 if I remember rightly, and maths - a B, and head held high. But to this day, I remember the agony of walking to the window of the school to see my results with my mum, knowing what they would say, and just wanting to die.
My learning style is quite practical actually. I learn by both doing, watching, listening and then reading - in that order. I don't think it's just a man thing. Schools are big now - and have been for oodles of years, on finding out what your learning style is, and then going with it. No shame, we're all different.
So why doesn't the church adapt and take this "no-brainer" stuff on board? For example, I know that if I don't preach exegetically - in the standard "Spurgeonic" way, that I will get complaints. I've somehow committed the 8th deadly sin somehow by having the same aim of teaching the bible and it's principles if I go about it differently in a small group study or discussion. Same result? You bet! If not better than the one church learning style of the sermon!
Am I having a downer on the sermon? Yes, no, maybe! There are thousands upon thousands of better preachers than me. I've noticed different congregation reactions in 25 years of preaching. How lovely and wonderful= naff sermon Pastor! Silence - nothing said = you possibly borred me! Anger and animated responses = you really hit home, and because of that I'm cross with you, so you'd better hear what I've got to say!
I have a love-hate relationship with the exogetical sermon. Spurgeon's spewed us all out of the college sausage machine saying "this is it, walk ye in it!" [or else]. I'd probably get criticised left, right and centre in the sermon class we all underwent. But hey, ho! This last sunday I merely preached on a difficult passage, didn't go to the door and went quietly to my office and desk, sat for 5 minutes, then put my coat on, gathered the kids, and went home. I didn't want to hear anything feedback. Not sure why, but I just needed to.
So what's your learning style?
Friday, 11 January 2013
To upgrade or stick - January resolutions
For a good few years now I have become increasingly disillusioned with January!
Actually, that's one of those sentences designed to shock, rather than give any insight into anything too deep. But what I mean is this rather depressing habit people have of making New Year Resolutions. I mean - "just don't do it!"
Actually I'm overstating my argument here in order to make a point. And in truth I don't totally mean what I say. Clearly for some, resolutions are a very positive step. But for the vast majority of folk, resolutions crash out within 6 weeks of making them. That is of course why the local gym adverts will have been prominent since Christmas, as they cash in on guilty consciences of over indulgence, and are very pleased to take anyone's money, thank you very much (chink, chink!).
But it's that "no brain" or "reactionary" approach to new year resolutions, rather than the reflective, considered, and yes prayerful, that I just cannot abide! And the media is geared up to catch us - upgrade (your life) NOW! And sit back, having made that easy tick of the box, and watch what happens. And yes, instinctively, the leaving behind of an old year - with all of its joys and sorrows, somehow adds to the momentum in people that what they REALLY must do is upgrade to something new. Leave behind the negative or the difficult, and try something different that, in a matter of days, will amazingly and miraculously, totally transform your life to what you have always dreamed it should be! Do it! Yes now! Upgrade! And do it (in these days) with cash you don't have, because what really counts is how you feel!
So for me, now, January is a time to actually rest, and reflect and consider, but not to do drastic stuff. Yes, by all means consider and build towards some kind of change and decision that is a positive one, and which will bring lasting change for the better (and not always something that is easy). But never make a snap decision.
And this way of reflection and pondering is the way of the Christian disciple. And actually, the way of the snap, frantic, no brain decision, is very much not!
So thats how I'm starting 13! God Bless you in this year ahead.
Actually, that's one of those sentences designed to shock, rather than give any insight into anything too deep. But what I mean is this rather depressing habit people have of making New Year Resolutions. I mean - "just don't do it!"
Actually I'm overstating my argument here in order to make a point. And in truth I don't totally mean what I say. Clearly for some, resolutions are a very positive step. But for the vast majority of folk, resolutions crash out within 6 weeks of making them. That is of course why the local gym adverts will have been prominent since Christmas, as they cash in on guilty consciences of over indulgence, and are very pleased to take anyone's money, thank you very much (chink, chink!).
But it's that "no brain" or "reactionary" approach to new year resolutions, rather than the reflective, considered, and yes prayerful, that I just cannot abide! And the media is geared up to catch us - upgrade (your life) NOW! And sit back, having made that easy tick of the box, and watch what happens. And yes, instinctively, the leaving behind of an old year - with all of its joys and sorrows, somehow adds to the momentum in people that what they REALLY must do is upgrade to something new. Leave behind the negative or the difficult, and try something different that, in a matter of days, will amazingly and miraculously, totally transform your life to what you have always dreamed it should be! Do it! Yes now! Upgrade! And do it (in these days) with cash you don't have, because what really counts is how you feel!
So for me, now, January is a time to actually rest, and reflect and consider, but not to do drastic stuff. Yes, by all means consider and build towards some kind of change and decision that is a positive one, and which will bring lasting change for the better (and not always something that is easy). But never make a snap decision.
And this way of reflection and pondering is the way of the Christian disciple. And actually, the way of the snap, frantic, no brain decision, is very much not!
So thats how I'm starting 13! God Bless you in this year ahead.
Thursday, 11 October 2012
Smart-phones or Dumb-phones?
I can't find the report and I wasn't completely listening, but this morning whilst listening to Radio 4 Today, some new study was reported on mobile phone behaviour patterns which kind of made my ears prick up. The headline went something like "people would be happy to lose many things, but their smartphone would be their most treasurer possession!" If I find the report, or if you find, we'll let each other know (send me a text!!).
Of course, there are no real surprises here, the last 25 years has seen a technological revolution akin to the industrial revolution, but what is perhaps something to reflect upon is that we as a human race have/are arguably not adapted well to this. The headline stories that have dripped out over the last 10 years of people's lives falling apart at the loss of their phone - "man drowns in road drain as he head first searches for his phone that dropped down into it" have got to bring us up sharp to question whether we are getting our priorities right.
But let me confess (of course you will know this if you know me well) that I am part of the problem, but I would like to think that I could be a part of the solution? I love my smartphone too. I love everything that it does for me. I take a monthly mag to read up on the latest developments, & this week I tried to upgrade a year early, but no way! As an Android user I like what my phone does for me, and yes it really does work for me. My phone keeps my diary & contacts that syncs to my office PC, it keeps track of ten of my email accounts (I have others), allows me to store important data, make use of dropbox, social network to my 3 Facebook accounts, and 2 Twitter accounts, as well as update my blog, GPS navigate, browse the net, read the Times newspaper, listen to the radio and podcast, play music, scan barcodes, watch auction items on ebay, play games, take photo's and videos, watch iplayer, read books, .......oh and yes, of course, how stupid, text and make phone calls! Truth is, my smartphone kind of runs my life.
But let me make a 2nd confession to you: more and more now, particulary at the end of the day I'm getting borred of my smartphone, and actually have had enough of the way in which it dominates my life! In essence I find myself feeling that there must be more to life than this blessed clever lump of plastic, which seems to dominate my life. And whenever the different ring tones go off for each inbox, or text, why do I feel that I need to respond to it? Actually, far from improving my life and making life better, easier(?) it's made it worse. I actually don't want to be available 24-7. (Ah, but there's an app to sort that you know!).
But let me widen this away from personification to some observations. So much has the mobile impacted upon our culture, that now we often see people communicating with each other via text or social media, than having a face to face conversation. Think nothing of 2 friends chatting, whilst one of the friends is texting away to another friend somwhere else. Couples can now be seen to argue or sort out their relationships and or divorce or seperation by text. Bosses and companies seem to make workers redundant by text or email! And seemingly the camera life of the mobile has now been twisted and perverted so that it has become a tool of child abuse and sexual perversion. Of course it cuts both ways, probably the fall of middle east countries would not have happened without social media! But it seems our culture is so infected, that we even see people coming to church now and texting or surfing during the service, and children playing DS and Ipod games!
All in all, the archetypal image in the UK is of the person walking down the street with childen in tow, not enjoying the world, and chatting and playing with the kids, but on the phone to someone. The person rushing down the street - and in their hands will be keys and phone in hand. And the example we are setting to our children is that all of this is just fine - "go and do likewise, don't actually talk to people or play anymore, but pick up a console and use it! Don't talk to your parents and friends face to face about your fears and concerns and the day you've had, but go on your phone, ipod or games console!" So if our society and culture is falling apart because our children no longer have the social skills or ability to chat, debate, listen, forgive, cry, negotiate and emphasise, then don't blame them, but look to the example we are setting them.
I cannot but reflect upon the time we are wasting, the life we are losing, the skills we are forgetting, the relationships we are killing. Consider: if you spend 1 hour a day social networking, or 3 hours a day attached to your mobile, thats 7 hours and 21 hours respectively. It's also 364 hours a 156 hours a year respectively. Thats 29,120 hours and 12,480 hours in a typical lifetime of 80 years. Think what else we could be doing, the places we could go. And all of that is just on the phone, it doesn't include people going on to laptops, ipads and PC's, which might add a further 4 + hours a week. Think about these daft apps - both on phones and Facebook, games such as Farmville and the like that you are invited to play in your own little protected cyber world, that keep making you want to go back for more and more and more. Think about how overweight the population is growing as we sit in zero physical activity. Think about the number of workers who might today whilst at work on the works time, sit in front of their Facebook page! If we agree that our communities, families and relationships are falling apart, then look no further than these issues for the root of the problems.
As a Christian I hear the words of Jesus "I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly" ringing in my ears, and I reflect that what is killing this full life, is our own lack of discipline and focus.
So I want to suggest that it's only our own personal decision to manage our lives IN DISCIPLINE that can save us from this creeping disease. It's something that I need to do more, and you do too. Let's not "throw the baby out with the bathwater" mind, but lets choose to live differently! Here are some sugegstions that I too am taking up:
All in all, SWITCH IT OFF!
Of course, there are no real surprises here, the last 25 years has seen a technological revolution akin to the industrial revolution, but what is perhaps something to reflect upon is that we as a human race have/are arguably not adapted well to this. The headline stories that have dripped out over the last 10 years of people's lives falling apart at the loss of their phone - "man drowns in road drain as he head first searches for his phone that dropped down into it" have got to bring us up sharp to question whether we are getting our priorities right.
But let me confess (of course you will know this if you know me well) that I am part of the problem, but I would like to think that I could be a part of the solution? I love my smartphone too. I love everything that it does for me. I take a monthly mag to read up on the latest developments, & this week I tried to upgrade a year early, but no way! As an Android user I like what my phone does for me, and yes it really does work for me. My phone keeps my diary & contacts that syncs to my office PC, it keeps track of ten of my email accounts (I have others), allows me to store important data, make use of dropbox, social network to my 3 Facebook accounts, and 2 Twitter accounts, as well as update my blog, GPS navigate, browse the net, read the Times newspaper, listen to the radio and podcast, play music, scan barcodes, watch auction items on ebay, play games, take photo's and videos, watch iplayer, read books, .......oh and yes, of course, how stupid, text and make phone calls! Truth is, my smartphone kind of runs my life.
But let me make a 2nd confession to you: more and more now, particulary at the end of the day I'm getting borred of my smartphone, and actually have had enough of the way in which it dominates my life! In essence I find myself feeling that there must be more to life than this blessed clever lump of plastic, which seems to dominate my life. And whenever the different ring tones go off for each inbox, or text, why do I feel that I need to respond to it? Actually, far from improving my life and making life better, easier(?) it's made it worse. I actually don't want to be available 24-7. (Ah, but there's an app to sort that you know!).
But let me widen this away from personification to some observations. So much has the mobile impacted upon our culture, that now we often see people communicating with each other via text or social media, than having a face to face conversation. Think nothing of 2 friends chatting, whilst one of the friends is texting away to another friend somwhere else. Couples can now be seen to argue or sort out their relationships and or divorce or seperation by text. Bosses and companies seem to make workers redundant by text or email! And seemingly the camera life of the mobile has now been twisted and perverted so that it has become a tool of child abuse and sexual perversion. Of course it cuts both ways, probably the fall of middle east countries would not have happened without social media! But it seems our culture is so infected, that we even see people coming to church now and texting or surfing during the service, and children playing DS and Ipod games!
All in all, the archetypal image in the UK is of the person walking down the street with childen in tow, not enjoying the world, and chatting and playing with the kids, but on the phone to someone. The person rushing down the street - and in their hands will be keys and phone in hand. And the example we are setting to our children is that all of this is just fine - "go and do likewise, don't actually talk to people or play anymore, but pick up a console and use it! Don't talk to your parents and friends face to face about your fears and concerns and the day you've had, but go on your phone, ipod or games console!" So if our society and culture is falling apart because our children no longer have the social skills or ability to chat, debate, listen, forgive, cry, negotiate and emphasise, then don't blame them, but look to the example we are setting them.
I cannot but reflect upon the time we are wasting, the life we are losing, the skills we are forgetting, the relationships we are killing. Consider: if you spend 1 hour a day social networking, or 3 hours a day attached to your mobile, thats 7 hours and 21 hours respectively. It's also 364 hours a 156 hours a year respectively. Thats 29,120 hours and 12,480 hours in a typical lifetime of 80 years. Think what else we could be doing, the places we could go. And all of that is just on the phone, it doesn't include people going on to laptops, ipads and PC's, which might add a further 4 + hours a week. Think about these daft apps - both on phones and Facebook, games such as Farmville and the like that you are invited to play in your own little protected cyber world, that keep making you want to go back for more and more and more. Think about how overweight the population is growing as we sit in zero physical activity. Think about the number of workers who might today whilst at work on the works time, sit in front of their Facebook page! If we agree that our communities, families and relationships are falling apart, then look no further than these issues for the root of the problems.
As a Christian I hear the words of Jesus "I have come that you might have life, and have it abundantly" ringing in my ears, and I reflect that what is killing this full life, is our own lack of discipline and focus.
So I want to suggest that it's only our own personal decision to manage our lives IN DISCIPLINE that can save us from this creeping disease. It's something that I need to do more, and you do too. Let's not "throw the baby out with the bathwater" mind, but lets choose to live differently! Here are some sugegstions that I too am taking up:
- Switch the phone off at 7pm and on again at 7am, and definitely put it away at meal times.
- Ration your social networking hours - see it as credit to be used, like a calories that must not be exceeded.
- Work hard at having face to face conversations, not text ones.
- Have periods of fasting from all of these powerful forces, espec Facebook and Twitter.
- Never let it control you, but you control it!
- Re-discover the joys of talking to your spouse and children.
- Instead of going on the phone or computer, go walk, swim, cycle or kick, or even read a book!
All in all, SWITCH IT OFF!
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Routine - oh how I love thee ....mostly!
I'm adjusting to a new routine, and to be honest it's a bit of a challenge. Now I love routine, and I've predominantly been in the same one for around 9 years. It's all to do with school you see - all that drop off and pick up stuff. But two of our family have now changed school and that's in the nearby main town - a 15 minute drive, and now two out of the three can get to school at 8am. So for the first time in about 9 years all children and mum are out of the house on the school run by 7.50am. This means the two of my feet hitting the floor at 6.01am - having listened to Radio 4 headlines, and not returning to a horizontal position to somewhere about 7.30am! Gone are our days of sitting in bed with a cup of tea listening to the news and everntually stirring - oh no! And all of this leaves all of us, and me, suddenly, with a new routine! And it's a shock to the system.
Now I love routine. I love knowing where I need to be when and kind of getting into the groove with it. I'm not sure where if at all I learnt routine, or whether I was divinely programmed for it. Was it at boarding school when as a 10year old the bell would always go to wake us, and we were drilled in doing exactly the same each day? Don't know! Or was it when I first took up gainful employment as an Apprentice Engineer at Wellworthy's Weymouth, and needed to cycle everyday the 7 miles or so, leaving the house at 6.30am (we began work at 7.30am), and thus drilling myself to be up at the same time everyday, fed, watered, red my bible and out the door, come whatever the weather through at me down the Weymouth beach road? Don't know! Or was it, as I probably guess can also be the case, the routine of my mum passed to baby in womb? Or was it years and years of hearing my parents teasmade go off at 6.30am with a kind of machine gun alarm - which I'm sure dad appreciated from an army tradition point of view! Don't know!
But I do remember in the first few years of ministry in my first church going to a conference by Christian Research, entitled "Priorities, Planning and Paperwork" led by Peter Brierely, and finding the self awareness and skill personality tests a total revelation, and finding for the first time in my entire life that I had discovered the real me. This was my personality type, and it was ok. This was how I fitted into team and these were my skills, and it was ok. And most freeing of all - this was how God had made me, and that was ok too! That then fast turned to be cross and wondering why we hadn't done such awareness courses at Spurgeon's and thinking - "if only"!
So I love routine, and to be honest there are time when I think I would be at home in a monastery with the regular times around the clock to pray and read the offices of that hour. In fact I prefer routine as a good basis for my prayer life, and really appreciate the Northumbrian Community Offices. I'd enjoy the routines of the work pattern I'm sure. But I'd be very lonely in a Munkery and soon find that that it didn't fit my outlook to be a techy as well as my love of home and family life.
And Ministry I find is more often than not the complete antithesis of routine - it is so often completely varied, one day being totally different with unique challenges. One day I might be preping a talk or the like, another day leading a funeral, another -a pastoral visit, another - prepping a meeting, another - repairing and doing maintenance, and another - maintaining the church office computer network or the like, as well as updatng the website. I could go on! I could mention strategy, vision, worship, prayer etc.
But the personality profiles remind us that actually no one of us is the same. And I love the verse that says in the scriptures that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are truly rainbow in variety (of personality and character) and as a Christian I see entirely the handiwork of the creator behind all of this who "knit us together in our mother's womb" and which reminds us that we are not accidents, but wonderfully made for purpose in love by Yahweh our creator. And all that means that whilst I love routine, others don't. Others are more creative and adventurous and love the unplanned and the new experience etc etc.
And there are downsides to the routine and mundane of course, just as there are downsides to the creative. The Popular Sanguine type who organises, needs to cheer up the Perfect Melancholy type, who needs to tone down the Powerful Choleric type, whilst the Peaceful Phlegmatic type needs motivating! (see Personality Plus - how to undestand others by understanding yourself, by Florence Littauer).
And truly, it is only when we understand who we are in Christ, that can ever hope to understand anyone else, let alone listen or minister to them.
So, its back to my routine, and like John Cleese in the film "Clockwork", as its now 9.32am, I need to be drinking my coffee! Enjoy discovering who you are.
Now I love routine. I love knowing where I need to be when and kind of getting into the groove with it. I'm not sure where if at all I learnt routine, or whether I was divinely programmed for it. Was it at boarding school when as a 10year old the bell would always go to wake us, and we were drilled in doing exactly the same each day? Don't know! Or was it when I first took up gainful employment as an Apprentice Engineer at Wellworthy's Weymouth, and needed to cycle everyday the 7 miles or so, leaving the house at 6.30am (we began work at 7.30am), and thus drilling myself to be up at the same time everyday, fed, watered, red my bible and out the door, come whatever the weather through at me down the Weymouth beach road? Don't know! Or was it, as I probably guess can also be the case, the routine of my mum passed to baby in womb? Or was it years and years of hearing my parents teasmade go off at 6.30am with a kind of machine gun alarm - which I'm sure dad appreciated from an army tradition point of view! Don't know!
But I do remember in the first few years of ministry in my first church going to a conference by Christian Research, entitled "Priorities, Planning and Paperwork" led by Peter Brierely, and finding the self awareness and skill personality tests a total revelation, and finding for the first time in my entire life that I had discovered the real me. This was my personality type, and it was ok. This was how I fitted into team and these were my skills, and it was ok. And most freeing of all - this was how God had made me, and that was ok too! That then fast turned to be cross and wondering why we hadn't done such awareness courses at Spurgeon's and thinking - "if only"!
So I love routine, and to be honest there are time when I think I would be at home in a monastery with the regular times around the clock to pray and read the offices of that hour. In fact I prefer routine as a good basis for my prayer life, and really appreciate the Northumbrian Community Offices. I'd enjoy the routines of the work pattern I'm sure. But I'd be very lonely in a Munkery and soon find that that it didn't fit my outlook to be a techy as well as my love of home and family life.
And Ministry I find is more often than not the complete antithesis of routine - it is so often completely varied, one day being totally different with unique challenges. One day I might be preping a talk or the like, another day leading a funeral, another -a pastoral visit, another - prepping a meeting, another - repairing and doing maintenance, and another - maintaining the church office computer network or the like, as well as updatng the website. I could go on! I could mention strategy, vision, worship, prayer etc.
But the personality profiles remind us that actually no one of us is the same. And I love the verse that says in the scriptures that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. We are truly rainbow in variety (of personality and character) and as a Christian I see entirely the handiwork of the creator behind all of this who "knit us together in our mother's womb" and which reminds us that we are not accidents, but wonderfully made for purpose in love by Yahweh our creator. And all that means that whilst I love routine, others don't. Others are more creative and adventurous and love the unplanned and the new experience etc etc.
And there are downsides to the routine and mundane of course, just as there are downsides to the creative. The Popular Sanguine type who organises, needs to cheer up the Perfect Melancholy type, who needs to tone down the Powerful Choleric type, whilst the Peaceful Phlegmatic type needs motivating! (see Personality Plus - how to undestand others by understanding yourself, by Florence Littauer).
And truly, it is only when we understand who we are in Christ, that can ever hope to understand anyone else, let alone listen or minister to them.
So, its back to my routine, and like John Cleese in the film "Clockwork", as its now 9.32am, I need to be drinking my coffee! Enjoy discovering who you are.
Friday, 7 September 2012
After the age of 35 ....
....It all goes down hill! No, no, I'm only joking. That's the age of .....oh sorry, I can't remember.
I recollect that at the age of 22years, the Spurgeon's College Council of that time, - wherein I trained for the Christian Ministry and obtained my degree in theology, only just agreed to allow me to train, because they thought I was lacking in experience. If it wasn't for the then Student Chair and Secretary (who have a place on the Council) who fought my corner, + one or two other worthys, then everything could have been oh so different. But that was back in 1987, and now 25years later I am now .....well, quite experienced. But what does that mean?
Seven years later on when in my first church, a particular couple decided to make an issue of the fact that their young minister wasn't very experienced (still!) and it drew out of me then I quite defensive reaction, and led me to preach on where experience came from, and whether that was a mark of maturity or not. I think looking back I hashed up the preach somewhat.
It is true to say that the youthful days (under 35?!) gives to all an outlook on life with views that are often black and white, and yes hasty in response. And every "youth" seems to be the same - ask them a question and there is always only one answer and it's got to be NOW! Don't be stupid Dad, this IS the answer, how can you hold such archaic views? Truth is, as you get older, life is not quite as clear cut, and our answers become less hasty, and more measured and considered. From what? Why? From experience of course!
25 years later (in ministry, that is) I can honestly say that the majority of experience has come from learning lessons, and in all honesty quite a bit of that has been uncomfortable, if not at times painful. The experience I have gained has come at a price, but it has been the making of me, and yes the maturing of me. Seemingly experiences likes these only come from one means - growing in and through the difficulties. Well that's on the plus side, but on the negative being a Baptist Pastor has come at a huge cost - emotionally and practically, as well yes as spiritually, to my family and I, and being now in the middle age (the period of the pondering) I often ponder as I look back whether it had to be this way.
Stepping aside from ministry for a moment, to me as a person and the 46years on this earth, the truth is that life (and in no way do I see this as different to any one else) has in no way been plain sailing. I certainly never envisaged being a Minister of the Gospel for the first 20years of my life, and "if I knew then what I knew now" would I have taken such a road? Was that the right decision? I could have been an Engineer! I could have .....well anyway!
Christians believe in the scriptures talking of the "call" of God, and that individuals respond to such a call - like Abraham and Sarah, to leave to follow the call without knowing where they were to go, but leave they had to do! Christians don't believe that our lives are simply our own to do with as we please, but to follow God's call, wherever that may be and whatever that may mean.
And then I remember Billy Graham's strap line in his passionate evangelistic preaching - "God has a plan for your life" - and at the time, that felt like a neat concept, and one that appealed to that black and white youthful outlook. But 30 years on I would argue that the word "plan" suggests it is all worked out, and the word I would use now is "blueprint" - that God knows the structure in and around which freedom of choice is exercised. Of course some Christians believe that absolutely every tiny detail of every moment for, and every choice we make, is God made. This is the age old tussle of predestination verus freewill, and for some thats what they want and are comfortable with. But this blog is not going to do predestination - but you knew that anyway, didn't you?!
And this is all of course about knowing what decision to make about this or that, and how we know guidance and wisdom. It's also about "perspective" - this is another key word. I remember an illustration by my Theology Tutor (yes, Nigel, I listened) who gave the example of an incident in a street that is witnessed by a number of different people from different angles (or perspective), and each when reported to a journalist or policeman, gives a slightly different perspective on what took place. So, which was the right perspective? Which was the truth? Perspectives can shape and change decisions, but be warned the perspective of consumer comfort wonders around like a devouring lion: We all want an easy life, easy decisions and lots of comfort, with little challenge. For some, decision making seems reduced to this level - a kind of Homer Simpson theology: if something in life is too hard, then its not worth doing!
And in our lives there are lots of perspectives to consider. We might use another word "viewpoint(s)", and seek to obtain the perspectives of people around us on what they think about a situation in our lives. For the Christian, the "God-perspective" is vital - how does God see it all? Trouble is that post-modernism has blurred these perspectives somewhat and kind of stated that all perspectives might be true, rather than just one or another, and that can leave us bewildered, particularly if we start thinking "what if?"
But snap my figers and snap out of it; this middle age pondering does no one any good, even if it be a part of what all middle aged people do. Life is as it is now. And we must live life with the consequences of our decisions, even if they were taken early in life, and in haste and somehow regretted or even applauded. And for the Christian, there is a framework in which we do this. The decisions, promises, and following of calls that have been made - whether in hindsight right or wrong, must be honoured because life is not just now, this second. These might be broken, but not for the Christian, ours is a higher calling. Many are secondary promises with not huge consequences maybe and can be modified, adapted or changed, but some are major covenantal decisions and are lifetime decisions. These matter and as Christians we will be judged for the decisions we made and those that we broke. There is journey - and it is the whole of life, not just in the here and now. The God who first called is the one who is a part of the covenants that we make and is the maker not the breaker. In the blueprint sense, he leads us on in the journey from now and into the future, and is faithful, and we too are required to be faithful.
But the one question I will have for God will be why we cannot have experience and youthful energy? We all know that with age comes experience, but with age comes the bad back and flagging energy. But why God?
But this I know: with God in our lives, no experience - however painful or uncomfortable is ever wasted, especially when we turn it to God's glory and let it be used. Romans 8: 28 reminds us of this.
I recollect that at the age of 22years, the Spurgeon's College Council of that time, - wherein I trained for the Christian Ministry and obtained my degree in theology, only just agreed to allow me to train, because they thought I was lacking in experience. If it wasn't for the then Student Chair and Secretary (who have a place on the Council) who fought my corner, + one or two other worthys, then everything could have been oh so different. But that was back in 1987, and now 25years later I am now .....well, quite experienced. But what does that mean?
Seven years later on when in my first church, a particular couple decided to make an issue of the fact that their young minister wasn't very experienced (still!) and it drew out of me then I quite defensive reaction, and led me to preach on where experience came from, and whether that was a mark of maturity or not. I think looking back I hashed up the preach somewhat.
It is true to say that the youthful days (under 35?!) gives to all an outlook on life with views that are often black and white, and yes hasty in response. And every "youth" seems to be the same - ask them a question and there is always only one answer and it's got to be NOW! Don't be stupid Dad, this IS the answer, how can you hold such archaic views? Truth is, as you get older, life is not quite as clear cut, and our answers become less hasty, and more measured and considered. From what? Why? From experience of course!
25 years later (in ministry, that is) I can honestly say that the majority of experience has come from learning lessons, and in all honesty quite a bit of that has been uncomfortable, if not at times painful. The experience I have gained has come at a price, but it has been the making of me, and yes the maturing of me. Seemingly experiences likes these only come from one means - growing in and through the difficulties. Well that's on the plus side, but on the negative being a Baptist Pastor has come at a huge cost - emotionally and practically, as well yes as spiritually, to my family and I, and being now in the middle age (the period of the pondering) I often ponder as I look back whether it had to be this way.
Stepping aside from ministry for a moment, to me as a person and the 46years on this earth, the truth is that life (and in no way do I see this as different to any one else) has in no way been plain sailing. I certainly never envisaged being a Minister of the Gospel for the first 20years of my life, and "if I knew then what I knew now" would I have taken such a road? Was that the right decision? I could have been an Engineer! I could have .....well anyway!
Christians believe in the scriptures talking of the "call" of God, and that individuals respond to such a call - like Abraham and Sarah, to leave to follow the call without knowing where they were to go, but leave they had to do! Christians don't believe that our lives are simply our own to do with as we please, but to follow God's call, wherever that may be and whatever that may mean.
And then I remember Billy Graham's strap line in his passionate evangelistic preaching - "God has a plan for your life" - and at the time, that felt like a neat concept, and one that appealed to that black and white youthful outlook. But 30 years on I would argue that the word "plan" suggests it is all worked out, and the word I would use now is "blueprint" - that God knows the structure in and around which freedom of choice is exercised. Of course some Christians believe that absolutely every tiny detail of every moment for, and every choice we make, is God made. This is the age old tussle of predestination verus freewill, and for some thats what they want and are comfortable with. But this blog is not going to do predestination - but you knew that anyway, didn't you?!
And this is all of course about knowing what decision to make about this or that, and how we know guidance and wisdom. It's also about "perspective" - this is another key word. I remember an illustration by my Theology Tutor (yes, Nigel, I listened) who gave the example of an incident in a street that is witnessed by a number of different people from different angles (or perspective), and each when reported to a journalist or policeman, gives a slightly different perspective on what took place. So, which was the right perspective? Which was the truth? Perspectives can shape and change decisions, but be warned the perspective of consumer comfort wonders around like a devouring lion: We all want an easy life, easy decisions and lots of comfort, with little challenge. For some, decision making seems reduced to this level - a kind of Homer Simpson theology: if something in life is too hard, then its not worth doing!
And in our lives there are lots of perspectives to consider. We might use another word "viewpoint(s)", and seek to obtain the perspectives of people around us on what they think about a situation in our lives. For the Christian, the "God-perspective" is vital - how does God see it all? Trouble is that post-modernism has blurred these perspectives somewhat and kind of stated that all perspectives might be true, rather than just one or another, and that can leave us bewildered, particularly if we start thinking "what if?"
But snap my figers and snap out of it; this middle age pondering does no one any good, even if it be a part of what all middle aged people do. Life is as it is now. And we must live life with the consequences of our decisions, even if they were taken early in life, and in haste and somehow regretted or even applauded. And for the Christian, there is a framework in which we do this. The decisions, promises, and following of calls that have been made - whether in hindsight right or wrong, must be honoured because life is not just now, this second. These might be broken, but not for the Christian, ours is a higher calling. Many are secondary promises with not huge consequences maybe and can be modified, adapted or changed, but some are major covenantal decisions and are lifetime decisions. These matter and as Christians we will be judged for the decisions we made and those that we broke. There is journey - and it is the whole of life, not just in the here and now. The God who first called is the one who is a part of the covenants that we make and is the maker not the breaker. In the blueprint sense, he leads us on in the journey from now and into the future, and is faithful, and we too are required to be faithful.
But the one question I will have for God will be why we cannot have experience and youthful energy? We all know that with age comes experience, but with age comes the bad back and flagging energy. But why God?
But this I know: with God in our lives, no experience - however painful or uncomfortable is ever wasted, especially when we turn it to God's glory and let it be used. Romans 8: 28 reminds us of this.
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