I Got Stripes...

The Shack

2009-05-23T06:44:00.000-07:00

I'm not blogging much at the moment but having just read The Shack by William Paul Young I felt that I should. I'm not big on fiction books about God (though I did enjoy the Left Behind series) but this one was recommended and put into my hand by a good friend so I figured why not? Besides, it's not incredibly long and the chapters are short...so I went for it. And you know what? I really enjoyed it. Not only was it entertaining and interesting but I was fascinated by how each person of what I know as the Trinity (God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) was represented, and how they interacted with the protagonist and each other. A lot of it got me thinking about my own relationship with God, and I was able to relate to a fair bit of it but also look at some things in a new light. For a work of fiction the book really (for me) has a great understanding of God, how He works, even how He feels, in as much as we can probably understand. There were several points where I cried and had to stop reading to ensure my tears weren't marking my glasses. It wasn't because it was so badly written that I wanted to cry, but that I was overwhelmed, both by the presence and the love of God. I've experienced God's love in works of fiction before, and in fact the Left Behind series played a role in my coming to know Him personally, but The Shack is something else.

Whether you believe in God or not, why not give this book a read. Chances are you'll enjoy it. Plus it may just change your life!

http://theshackbook.com/aimages/theshackad.jpg

:)

Disney and the Early Church

2009-04-20T02:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some lyrics from a Phil Collins song called 'Welcome' from the classic Disney movie Brother Bear:

Everyone's invited, this is how we live

We're all here for each other happy to give

All we have we share

And all of us we care, so come on...

Welcome to our family time

Welcome to our brotherly time

We're happy giving and taking

To the friends we're making
There's nothing we won't do...

And here are some words from Acts 4:32-35 about how Jesus's followers were living after he ascended:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

Look familiar? It appears that a Disney movie knows more about how church should be than most churches I've ever been to, where things like money and possessions have become more important than serving God and each other! What can Brother Bear teach the 21st century Church? Discuss...;)

Christmas Day 2008

2008-12-25T10:42:00.000-08:00

It's been almost a couple of months since my last post. In that time (and I'm very surprised I haven't blogged on this until now) my comedy heroes, the Chuckle Brothers, have won a BAFTA. It's a lifetime achievement award, and though many months ago I blogged in a campaign to get them knighted, I'll settle for this. Just like if Villa would like to win the Premier league this season but instead finish third or fourth, that'll do too. Anyway, well done to Barry and Paul. Love them or not like them, they still have a wide-ranging appeal, with the popularity for their show 'Chucklevision' to still be on TV after twenty-one years and for their ability to still sell out their live shows. I'd take my hat off to both of you chaps, if I was wearing one. Is now the time for revealing that I've met them twice, got their autographs on both occasions, and was bapstised in my Chuckle Brothers t-shirt? Maybe not. But if you go to the awesome Mike's Bites cafe in Bangor, Gwynedd, you'll probably see a picture on the wall of the Chuckle Brothers with a cheesy-grinned, bespectaled, big-haired me standing behind them. And if that's not a claim to fame I don't know what is, quite frankly.

Also, by the grace of God and the food of my wife (as a good friend would say), I've almost finished my dissertation. Thanks if you have supported that in any way.

I was at a Christingle service yesterday. Do you know the song, 'Little Drummer Boy'? I'm well aware there's a humorous Peter Griffin version on Family Guy, but the original song itself has very powerful lyrics, which I hadn't realised until yesterday. A little boy goes to play his drum for the baby Jesus, and there's the line 'I played my best for him (parapapumpum)'. It made me think: Am I giving Jesus my best? Christmas is the time of year when I as a Christian remember his birth, and why he came-to set me free from sin and through his sacrifice and resurrection bring my back into the relationship with God I was created to be in, which I am unalbe to do myself. So if he has given me his everything, am I doing my best for him? Am I, like the little drummer boy, 'playing my best for him' in all aspects of life? Are you?

Merry CHRISTmas and God bless. It's not too late to change!:)

<><

Going away...

2008-11-03T08:54:00.000-08:00

I Got Stripes will be back in the not-too-distant future, but for now I must really write my dissertation. I appreciate you viewing this blog, and also your prayers regarding my work!

Jesus loves you. If you don't believe me, I can't make you believe it but why not try reading the book of Luke in the Bible or some of my earlier blog posts.

Hope to see you soon.

God bless,

Matt:)
<><

The Impersonator

2008-10-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Click on this link if you want to see arguably the best footballer and manager impersonations that aren't on your television screen (especially if your name is Graham):

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=C2QEm028lKA

;)

What goes in...must come out.

2008-10-21T08:14:00.000-07:00

Matthew 12:34 says Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

In other words, what goes into us is going to come out.

Maybe this is why I feel happier and much more upbeat singing along to worship music in my car. Instead of Meat Loaf.

ACTS new date

2008-10-20T12:41:00.000-07:00

Apologies for any inconvenience but due to unforeseen circumstances, ACTS Open Mic Church will next happen on Monday 3rd November and NOT 27th October as scheduled.

Time and venue remain as the below post.

It will also feature Eddie the Zebra.

Hope to see you there.

ACTS Open Mic Church. Because church SHOULD be fun!:)

ACTS Open Mic Church

2008-10-12T14:49:00.000-07:00

What: ACTS Open Mic Church
When: Mon 27th October, 7pm for 7.30 kickoff
Where: Yeadon Cricket Club (Yeadon High Street, behind the White Swan, higher up than Morrisons, follow signs for Leeds Bradford airport), LS19 7AA

FREE ENTRY. This is a church where only the bar staff want your money.

Featuring: Yeadon singer songwriter Dave Paterson, guest speaker Brenda Emms, plus 'Only God can do That' (open time of sharing) and a guest appearance from Goodie Smart. Get in touch to guarantee yourself a slot, but hope to see you there whether performing or not.

ACTS Open Mic Church. Because church SHOULD be fun!

The Lonely Zebra

2008-10-08T08:10:00.000-07:00

This is a children's story I wrote a few months ago. I hope you like.

The Lonely Zebra

Ziggy was one of many animals in the safari park. There were lots of lions, giraffes, and monkeys; in fact there were many of every animal, apart from Ziggy. He was a zebra, and he was the only one. Because he was the only one, his pen wasn’t the most popular part of the safari park. It seemed everyone wanted to see the monkeys climb or hear the lions roar, or maybe even feed the llamas, but nobody wanted to see a lonely zebra. Not only did he rarely have any visitors, but his pen wasn’t advertised very well either, so no one really knew where it was. Ziggy was very miserable. He thought no one cared about him.

Then one day, for no obvious reason at all, he had some visitors.

A group of schoolchildren appeared and looked into the pen. Excited to see them, Ziggy came running over to them to say hello.
‘This, children, is a zebra’ their teacher explained.
‘I want to see the monkeys climb!’ said a girl.
‘I want to hear the lions roar!’ said a boy.
‘Can we feed the llamas, Mr. Jones?’ asked another.
‘Mr. Jones, I need the toilet!’ said yet another.
Mr. Jones realised the children didn’t want to see Ziggy, so he and the children went away. This made Ziggy sad.

Ziggy got some visitors the next day too. Two ladies came and looked into the pen, but it was snowing that day, so when they saw his black stripes among the white snow they thought that he was part of the fence. They didn’t think there were any animals in the pen at all, so they walked past quickly. They only wanted to see the hippos anyway.

Ziggy even got some visitors the day after. The sun had dried up the snow, and a family of four stopped next to his pen. One of the boys noticed Ziggy.
‘Haha! That horse is wearing pyjamas!’ He laughed to his parents.
‘Don’t be silly, Jonathan!’ His Mother said. ‘That’s a zebra.’
‘I don’t care what it is. It looks stupid to me!’ He said.
His Mother continued to tell him off for being rude, even as they walked round the corner and out of sight, but the damage had been done. Ziggy was hurt.

After being ignored, mistaken for other things, and also laughed at, Ziggy was very upset-so upset in fact that he began to cry. Tears were running down his face, he was sniffling hard, and sobbing, all at the same time. ‘Nobody likes me! I’m so lonely! Help me, please! Anybody! I need a friend!’ he cried, thinking no one could hear him.

‘I am your friend’, someone said. This made Ziggy very scared.

‘Who-who are you?’ he said, looking all around him. ‘In fact, where are you?’

‘Don’t cry, Ziggy. I am God. I am your friend’, said the voice.

‘That’s nice of you to say’, Ziggy sniffed, ‘but I can’t see you. How can you be my friend if I can’t see you?’

‘Good question. Actually Ziggy, no one can see me’ said the voice. ‘But you can see things I have made.’

‘Really?’ Ziggy wasn’t sure whether to laugh at what the voice was saying, or keep crying. ‘Like what?’ he asked.

‘Well, the grass in your pen, the people you have seen and the other animals, even you, Ziggy!’ the voice replied.

‘Me? You made me? Whoever made me is a fool, because nobody likes me’, Ziggy said. ‘In fact, whoever made me can’t like me either, or I wouldn’t be so unhappy, so if you made me thanks for nothing!’ Ziggy had stopped crying now. He was actually quite angry at the voice.

‘Ziggy, please don’t be angry,’ the voice said. ‘I made you because I love you.’

‘You…lo…you love me?’ Ziggy asked. ‘Then why am I so unhappy? And why haven’t I met you before?’

‘Ziggy, please don’t worry’ the voice assured him. ‘You are unhappy because of the way people treat you, but that isn’t your fault. And you haven’t met me before because you never wanted to! I’ve always been here with you, watching over you, and I’ll always be with you.’

Ziggy was really surprised that there was an unseen voice who he had never met, who had always wanted to be his friend. This was a lot for Ziggy to take in. ‘Thank you, God’ he said. ‘I’m really happy that we are now friends. But why are people nasty to me, and why can’t they sometimes see me?’ he asked, scratching his head with his hoof.

‘A lot of people are horrible if they don’t understand something’, said God. ‘If they don’t understand something, they may be scared of it, so they sometimes make fun out of it to hide their fear.’

‘Oh, thanks for explaining, but I’m really not very scary’ said Ziggy. ‘And in fact there is this fence between us just in case I was scary.’

‘I know you’re not scary,’ said God. ‘But they don’t. And speaking of that fence, do you remember yesterday in the snow when those two ladies didn’t see you?’

Ziggy nodded.

‘They thought you were part of the fence, because your white stripes blended in with the white snow!’

‘Oooooh, I see’, said Ziggy. ‘Why have I got these stripes anyway? Why don’t the other animals here have stripes like me?’

‘Good question my friend,’ God replied. ‘I gave you those stripes to make you different. No one else has beautiful stripes like you. I didn’t put as much effort into making horses you know. No, I really made you special. In the wild, those stripes will hide you from all sorts of animals who want to hurt you. Yesterday proved that they can do that.’

‘Oh yeah! Thanks God! You really do love me. You are a wonderful friend. Next time I start to feel lonely or sad, or that no one likes me, I’m going to talk to you!’ said Ziggy, smiling for the first time in a long while.

‘I was hoping you would say that’ said God, and even though he couldn’t see him, Ziggy somehow knew that God was smiling back.

© Matt T Wright 2008

2008-10-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

I was walking the dog earlier and wrestling with some of the big questions. These are the ones I couldn't work up any kind of answer to:

What is the point of...

-Wasps?

-Parma Violets?

-Fake meat?

-Right Said Fred tribute acts?

-Keith Chegwin?

That's all for now. As you can see, there's a lot to be mused upon.

Wesleyan class meetings

2008-09-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

This quote is from page 119 of William A. Beckham's The Second Reformation:Reshaping the Church for the 21st Century.

'Each person reported on his or her spiritual progress, or on particular needs or problems, and received the support and prayers of the others.'

Seems to me that the Wesleyan class meetings were an early form of what I envision open mic church to look like. If every church functioned in this way, with freedom to share and support each other instead of pretending everything is hunky dory for an hour every week, God's army would be taking far more ground than at present. We have to be real with each other and with God, or we are letting Him down. It is time for change!

Things I have learned this past week:

2008-09-29T04:50:00.000-07:00

-Bowling with bumpers does not improve my game

-The game Wizard101 is extremely addictive and as such should not be played by anyone

-In my strength, I fail. In God's strength, I succeed.

-I can now empathise with football players and fans alike who say that referees are blind. Come on ref, he was offside by a country mile (before he scored that fifth goal...)

-God says 'do not be afraid' and several variations of this 365 times in the Bible, which is one for every day of the year! Perhaps there is a reason for this, i.e. if He is with us, WHO can be against us? (Romans 8:31)

-My Pink Half of the Drainpipe by Bonzo Dog Band is an awesome song. Very real yet extremely clever, and hilarious. What a combination

-When we feel trapped in life, as though in a cobweb, Jesus doesn't just have the power to get rid of the spider. He can get rid of the entire web!

Important lessons

2008-09-27T11:09:00.000-07:00

I've joined a new football team recently and love playing with them. Not only are they a great bunch of people who are really encouraging and a good laugh, but their work rate is fantastic. Unlike previous teams I've played for, where some people would lose heart and determination when losing, this team keeps going and pressing right until the last minute. Though we've lost our first two games this season, there has been some outstanding play and it's great to be part of such a team where enjoyment and effort are the main goals (though of course victories would be nice). I'm learning an important lesson in humility too. As a defender I've always known I have pace and can win the ball when I need to, but when it comes to ball control my abilities leave a lot to be desired. So when playing in a big squad with people who can pass and move really well, I'm learning I'm not one of the best (which in the past has been the case) and that I need to play well to hold a place down. It's great to have this level of competition though and I look forward to the next game. Come on Four FC!

Furry Happy Monsters

2008-09-23T03:48:00.000-07:00

Ok so maybe it's not the best thing R.E.M. ever did but I discovered this today on Youtube. Can't believe I haven't seen it before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkHM8xG6i8o

There should be more puppet/band collaborations on TV in my opinion.

'Come on monsters, don't be sad. We can be happy!' Love it.

Accidental discovery

2008-09-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

I made what to me was a great discovery in the early hours of this morning. Students of missiology will be well-acquainted with David Bosch's book Transforming Mission. They would likely have referenced it time and again in essays and no doubt heard it quoted many times in the course of their studies. The man was an academic with a powerful voice; in fact many would say this book is the authority on the study of Christian mission and God's activity in the world. It is an informative book with weighty arguments. It is also quite substantial in weight itself. This is why, in the early hours of this morning, when a little dog was persistently trying to get into my bedroom to disturb the cat and I from our slumber, I reached for the nearest heavy object, namely this book, and stuck it behind the door. Alas, the dog huffed and he puffed, but he couldn't blow the door down. This is the definition of a heavy read.

Research findings

2008-09-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

I made what I thought was a really groovy pie chart for my dissertation to show some of my research findings, but I couldn't get it onto here, so I'll have to talk you through it. There are four sections: Two from the Sheffield ACTS Open Mic Church and two from the one in Yeadon. The sections are divided between those repsondents who said they were happy to call the vent 'church' and those who were not. In Sheffield, two-thirds said it was church whilst around one-third said it wasn't, whereas in Yeadon more than 90% said it was church compared to less than 10% who said it wasn't. Interestingly enough, none who said it was not church could justify why this was the case save to say that it lacked certain elements of church that they were used to. Obviously information could only be gathered from those who chose to provide it, but it is fair to assume that those who did so both wanted to and thought they had something valid to say, so their comments were welcome. Those saying it was church justified it so by largely focusing on it being the body of Christ or God’s people gathered together to worship Him and talk about life using His word and the gifts He has given His people. Several also reminded of the fact that church is comprised of people and not buildings, therefore ACTS may have been different to what most if not all were used to, but it was seen by a considerable majority as either being church already or at least having the potential to be called so. Works for me! Yeadon now seems to be a permanent location, with others scheduled for Monday 27th October and Wednesday 3rd December. The hope is to make them monthly events in the New Year. Contact me with any ideas or questions or if you'd like to perform at any of them. God bless.
:)

2008-09-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

ACTS Open Mic Church.
Because church SHOULD be fun!
www.myspace.com/actsopenmicchurch

Dear friends and supporters of ACTS Open Mic Church,

Thank you for supporting me in my vision of an open mic church. However you have supported me in my dissertation writing or at any of the events I have called open mic church, thank you. I write firstly to express my gratitude to you but also to tell you some things that perhaps you didn’t know about ACTS, and things that have encouraged me thus far. The vision came to me about sixteen months ago now. Paul writes in Romans 12 that whatever our gifts should be, we should be encouraged to use them. In a nutshell, I believe in a church where everyone should be allowed to use their God-given gifts. If this is in an open mic context and secular setting, those who enjoy open mic events but who are unlikely to enter your average church would likely enjoy an open mic church, and even participate in some way. Whilst there, if a gospel message is given and the Holy Spirit is invited to have His way with this...I truly believe lives will be changed for Jesus. I believe open mics can be risky, but the amount of ways in which people can hear the gospel and which God can work in people’s lives truly excites me. I’ve hosted two open mic churches so far in my research, and below are brief summaries of what happened and what I learned, but more importantly what God did! I wanted to be able to justify ACTS as church in order to use the name (instead of just ACTS Open Mic), so I had short postcard questionnaires scattered around the venues to collect information.

Sheffield, Showroom Cafe, 20th February 2008
This was the first one. About 100 people came. Feedback was mixed but largely positive, with over two-thirds saying that to them ACTS was definitely church. Some of the acts were brilliant. We had rap, poetry, song, music, Scripture readings, mini sermons, dance, prayer drama and testimony. Most were Christians but some non-Christians performed. There were technological problems and some acts were given too much time, resulting in a very late night and even people leaving. I was nervous and put a LOT into the event, leaving myself completely drained and vulnerable to all sorts of spiritual rubbish. No wonder I was largely disappointed. The vision took quite a battering after this event for several months, both in conversations with people but also largely in my mind. Still, after Sheffield I believed another one should happen and in a totally different venue. Where better than in my home town?

Yeadon Cricket Club, Leeds, 20th August 2008
I was much more relaxed about this event. I did far less in terms of preparation because I was determined to just ‘let go and let God’ (bar the all-important spiritual preparation of course). I truly knew His peace. I was really encouraged by the degree of local support. There were around 50 people there, aged from 9 to 90(!), and we had puppets, music, testimony, story, poetry, drama and a word. All bar one respondent said it was church, and people commented on the open, friendly atmosphere.

What God did
I’d love to say every non-Christian at each venue came to Christ there and then, but I can’t. Obviously a lot of what the Holy Spirit does in people’s lives can be unseen, at least initially, but some awesome things happened at both events. In Sheffield, one of my non-Christian friends travelled some distance to support me. Since ACTS she has been reading one of the gospels. She said it’s opened her eyes to a new world but isn’t sure what she believes yet. But still, she’s reading the Word of God! Also in Sheffield, a homeless man turned up who didn’t know about the event and didn’t know anybody there. He said he ‘felt drawn to the place.’ Once inside, he heard the gospel. One of the pastoral team prayed with him, gave him a Bible and even paid for him to stay in a hostel that night. He said he felt all warm-not unlike John Wesley’s heart-being-strangely-warmed experience at Aldersgate! At Yeadon, there were only two non-Christians present excluding the bar staff. I know this because I knew almost everyone in the room. One is thinking more and more about the things she has heard and the day after ACTS prayed the first prayer of her life, and the other wants to come on an Alpha Course my home church is running shortly. Praise God! So it seems thus far that ACTS seems to be a time of spiritual reawakening, which can lead to some fantastic things such as nurture groups and the relational evangelism around the tables, and a good number of Christians have been encouraged in their faith also.

The future activity of ACTS Open Mic Church
Several people have said to me that ACTS should happen again, including the cricket club bar staff. As I’m now living in Yeadon for the next two years, I feel it’s time to take a bigger step out of the boat. What the heck, let’s leap out of it. ACTS will happen again on Monday 27th October this year, and again on a date in December which is yet to be arranged, both at 7pm. The October date is to-be-confirmed but I will inform you of any changes should they occur. Unless God says no, I’m looking at a once monthly open mic church happening from January. A couple of people said to me that more people would feel comfortable about speaking at the mic or having an ‘act’ when they get used to the people, place and setup. So we’ll keep doing it, especially because God is at work within it. He is so faithful. On the advice of a learned friend I’m learning not to assess each event in terms of success or failure but just to invite God to have His way.

Prayer points
- For those who were spiritually awakened, that they will come to faith in Jesus Christ
-That I can get my dissertation finished and passed, and apply all I’ve learned to the future of ACTS
-That I and the others who are involved (including you?) will hear God’s voice and direction regarding all the above
-The most important one: That God has His way with ACTS Open Mic Church

Thanks and God bless,

Matt Wright:)
<><

jesusistheway@live.co.uk

OBSESSION

2008-09-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

I used to be obsessed with David Bowie. Not just interested, not just fascinated, but obsessed. I didn't just like his music or lifestyle, I wanted to understand it and breathe it and everything else. Many people didn't understand this. In fact, for those who didn't like or hadn't heard his music, every time I spoke about him it was like a waste of air. But not for me, because I thought he was amazing. I'd never met the guy, but I felt like I did. And I felt like he understood me too, even though he knew nothing about me. Listening to his songs it was like, 'Wow, that's exactly how I'm feeling.' Any of you who've known me for two years or more will know a lot of this.

The book To Major Tom was written by a life-long Bowie fan, and it is basically a collection of letters he wrote to Bowie over the years. Even though Bowie never replied, the author thought that he understood him. Something about Bowie kept him writing, kept him obsessed. I only discovered Bowie in 2000, but I can empathise with him even though I'm glad to say I never took things to this extreme. When his music asked questions I was desperate to find out the answers, and I took great delighted in understanding the things he sang about. I read 1984 because he sang about it. I bought a vinyl record of Holst's Planets because it influenced him. I got into Iggy Pop and Lou Reed because they collobarated with Bowie. I like bands he influenced, like Pet Shop Boys, Placebo and Depeche Mode. I bought a contact lens to make my eye a different colour to look like his, just like Marilyn Manson did. I don't think I need to go much farther down this track, except to say:

-I named my cat 'Ziggy' after the Ziggy Stardust album
-I owned all his studio albums (30+) and could tell you in which year each was created
-I owned a good number of his films even though some were awful
-I owned many biographies
-I owned Bowie t-shirts
-I talked about him often
-I joined his online community, which included a Bowie email address
-I wrote poetry about him
-I wrote my first university dissertation on his songs
-I dressed up as him on fancy dress occasions
-Seeing him live in 2003 was like a religious experience for me
-I knew the words to every song
-I would listen to his music every day
-I had a Bowie song for probably every significant moment of my life
-I would listen to him every day, my choice depending on my moods
-If I'd have gone on Mastermind, my specialist subject would have been David Bowie
-I even got a tattoo of the above lightning strike (which Marilyn Manson copied on one of his tours)

Obsession is an appropriate word. I took one man I had never met and made him much bigger than he actually is. I made him an idol. My hope was found in his songs, as was my comfort. In fact, many of my emotions found mirrors of themselves within his music and I would always retreat there for 'normality'. I also found myself becoming interested in many of the things he was and even trying some of the things he had done.

But this was not good for me! Enjoying music is one thing, but taking things to this kind of stage is not healthy. When I became a Christian, I carried on doing the same things. It didn't feel wrong, and because I was safe in the belief that Jesus, not Bowie, had saved me and he was more important than Bowie, I thought all was well. This time last year however, I really felt God was telling me I shouldn't keep listening to his music. There is after all place for only one God in my life which is one of the Ten Commandments after all. So I whacked all my books, cds, videos, dvds etc. on E-bay. Most have gone, and others will be car boot-ed. I thought I'd miss it, but I really don't. When we become Christians God deals with us one thing at a time, enabling us to slowly become more like the people we were created to be-slowly more like Jesus. 'Have no other gods before me', said God. You've got it. My hope now is in Jesus Christ. I haven't seen him live, don't have any of his music and haven't named any animals after him, but I am writing a dissertation about him and I do have a book about him that changed my life. He is where I find my strength, he is where I have my meaning, my identity, my all. In my tattoo I have a permanent reminder of the mistake I made when I put so much into something that would ultimately let me down, and in Jesus I have all I need.

Things I have learned this past week

2008-09-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

-Gareth Barry stayed at Villa after all, which is nice

-Youth work looks like a challenge, yet like there are a lot of laughs to be had

-Fiat Pandas are cool

-Strangers can be more kind-hearted than we often may expect

-Puppets have been used in evangelism since the 14th century and perhaps even before

-Wagamama is an awesome resaurant, and I can actually use chopsticks after years of failing

-God can take something we don't think we've done very well (like a sermon) and still bless people through it

-My dissertation IS going to get written

-I have the best friends in the world

-Andy Kaufman may have been on it against his own will, but Taxi was a very funny show

-As Christians it is more important WHO we worship, not how we do it

Street Evangelism

2008-08-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

Rob bell, creator of the Nooma DVD series, made a Nooma DVD called 'Bullhorn', in which he talks about street evangelism. He looks at a guy with a Bible in hand who is preaching on a busy street, shouting into a big bullhorn (which I believe is American for megaphone). He questions whether this is the best form of evangelism if indeed it is right at all.

Today I was in Manchester city centre with three friends, two of whom are Christians, one of whom is not. We walked past three street evangelists today. One was especially loud, and it was interesting to observe that all four of us put our heads down and walked past him as quickly as we could. I agree with everything he was saying. I know that as Christians we have a gospel to proclaim, that we can do this in many ways, and also that, for some, street evangelism works. I can't help but cringe though. I admire those who do it, and have done aspects of it myself albeit in a much more reserved and personal way instead of booming out a 'turn or burn' kind of message. But it made me cringe and I didn't appreciate the way he was telling people how to live in such a forceful way. Still, if it works, who am I to judge? And to be honest, if God called me to do that, I would like to believe both that He would change me views on it and also that I would do it, despite the issues I have with it now.

One thing we noted was that the second time we passed this particular guy, probably about two hours or more after the first time, he was still shouting out, and yet still no one was listening to him in any obvious way. We flew past him like the rest of the crowd, only to find ourselves attatched to another crowd, very lemming-like, stopping to watch five people dance. I admire the kind of dancing they were doing, which I would describe as contemporary-meets-breakdancing, though I know nothing about dancing so don't take my word for this description. It looked good though. But their dancing didn't have any obvious relevance to anything, yet loads of people were stood there just watching them. The street evangelist, on the other hand, was belting out a message that could change people's lives, yet they seemed more interested in being entertained. Perhaps it was because the dancers didn't challenge them in any way. Jesus, however, may not have danced around on streets in front of crowds. He did among other things teach them though, turn water into wine for them, feed 5,000 with a small amount of food, heal countless of them and even give his life for them. Even the crowds today, who didn't seem interested in hearing the preacher-Jesus died for them. He gave his life as a ransom to God for every mistake they have ever and will ever make. He made things right for them because they can't do that by themselves. None of us can. And when Jesus rose from the grave three days later, he defeated our mistakes. He defeated death! Meaning that anyone who believes he has done this for them, says sorry ('repents') for their mistakes (which he has paid for!) and calls him their lord and saviour (the one who saved them) can enter into this relationship with God. The street evangelists have a role I do not envy. Many walk on by. They are ridiculed by some. Their voices must really hurt, and they must wonder how many are taking it on. But for those who are listening and for whom it works, it can make that difference between life and death...if street evangelism be the food of salvation, shout on! I apologise for that tacky and thoroughly theologically inaccurate final sentence. I hope you know what I mean though.

New email address

2008-08-26T04:58:00.001-07:00

I've been challenged recently. I want to be a witness for Jesus in all I do, and to share his love with others. This is why I believe I'm here. So, reading an awesome book by Ken Moser called Youth Evangelism: Reaching Young People in a Way that Honours God, I have been inspired to change my email address to something that better represents who I am and makes a statement about the hope I have in Jesus. This was confirmed to me when I went to Greenbelt this weekend, which is a Christian festival apparently and yet at the communion service the speaker never once mentioned the word Jesus. Are we Christians or not? If we are, why hide it?! This of course was after we were encouraged to speak to the sun and tell it how we feel..!

So anyway...say goodbye to the gambit address, and say hello to...

jesusistheway@live.co.uk

Or to be more specific, say hello to me there, and I will email you back.
(I'm deleting the other one, so...you know it makes sense)

Is preaching essential in churches?

2008-08-21T10:02:00.001-07:00

This is a question I'm grappling with for one section of my dissertation. We live in a time now more so than ever before where churches all over are questioning various aspects of their life and activities, from mission and evangelism to which coffee cups should be used for which occasion. Unfortunately some churches spend more time focused on the latter than the former, but I'm digressing. Let's talk about preachers. They come in all shapes and sizes don't they. They dress differently from each other, have different voices, and some even have special preaching and praying voices, which I find odd. What they do when they preach will vary too. Some will stand and read from their notes, others will walk around. Some will bellow out hellfire and damnation and bash the lectern when they want to make a point, whereas some will speak with a soft assurance, nowhere near as loud yet somehow encouraging and likely more accessible for those who haven't fallen asleep or aren't sitting at the back with their hearing aids on low complaining about the fact that they can't hear. But that's enough about Methodism(!). We're talking about preachers here.

Let's assume every preacher is Spirit-filled and called by God to preach His word. Awesome. Let's assume the way they dress when they preach doesn't put people off. Let's assume they don't adopt a false church voice and RP accent for the sermon and prayers and then go back to their natural broad Lancashire dialect. Still keeping the image? Let's assume they are able to hold the people's attention and speak in concise, meaningful words that make sense. Let's also assume they don't put too much focus on themselves, but on the One they serve. Let's also assume they are able to identify and connect with every person present. An ideal image, perhaps, but an impossible one. No preacher is infallible and so serious prayer must go into every sermon to ensure God speaks through them the things He wants to say, even despite their potential for human error. They must trust God will override this and surrended to His Holy Spirit. But assuming every preacher in the world was the perfect picture I just described, is preaching essential in churches?

At open mic events the object made most use of is the mic. People share whatever they like, and the mic ensures they are heard. Not listened to necessarily, but heard at least. I've seen puppets perform to music at an open mic event just last night, and I've seen dancing occur at them too. These don't require a mic, but are still acceptable. Therefore if preaching is essential in church, must it happen via the verbal medium, or through something else like an interpretive dance? I've seen a very powerful interpretive dance done to Lifehouse's 'Everything Skit', which I blogged about almost a year ago now. That required no words and has a very moving message. So should preaching happen? It is of course a biblical thing, but must it always be done in the verbal way? I don't believe non-Christians are likely to enter your average church to hear someone they don't know tell them how to live for twelve minutes or more. And who can blame them? Yet I can't think of a better medium, and in terms of open mic church like the one I hosted last night, I'm really grateful that a friend came and preached. God spoke through him to a number of people and it confirmed to me that it was right that this happened.

I certainly believe there is as great a chance of a bad word being given in your average church as at an open mic church. I also believe that preachers at open mic churches are more accessible than preachers in more conventional churches, as the latter tend to shake so many hands and go through all the formal motions, whereas open mic preachers have the freedom to float around, socialise and enjoy themselves, and its in this time where questions can be asked by those who maybe didn't understand something and a time of ministry can ensue.

So I believe preaching is essential for people to learn and grow as God intends, and though I'm interested in exploring different mediums of it, I'm not sure I can think of a better alternative for the open mic church environment. I'm comforted by the fact God can speak through anything though, and I pray that whatever form of preaching occurs at ACTS Open Mic Church in the future will be no exception.

What do you think, about any of this?

Our role...

2008-08-21T04:03:00.000-07:00

I receive daily Bible readings with comments from One Way Creative Ministries. They arrive straight to my inbox every morning. Their website is http://www.onewayuk.com/. It's a great place to find puppet-related ideas, scripts and accessories, not to mention resources for mime, clowning, and drama. Below is an excerpt from today's Bible reading notes which I'd like to share. None of what follows is my own words. I just did the bold bits. It begins with the Bible, leads into a summary, and finishes with a description of the role every Christian is called to fulfil.

The return of Jesus #3 21st Aug 2008

"And then at last, the sign of the coming of the Son of Man will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the nations of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man arrive on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven."
Matthew 24: 30 & 31

...It is God's heart that everybody should get to hear the good news about Jesus and have the opportunity to believe in Him. The Bible tells us that God doesn't want anybody to perish but He will respect their free will to make the decision for themselves. Our role is to help spread the good news.

ACTS Open Mic Church Yeadon

2008-08-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

It's stupid 0'clock, and I can't sleep, mainly because I'm processing what happened at ACTS Open Mic Church in Yeadon a few hours ago. This may not be entirely coherent but what follows is a description of what happened tonight. I'm happy to report that I'm not thinking of tonight in terms of success or failure, but instead of how people enjoyed it, and how God spoke to them. These two, especially the latter, are fundamental aspects of open mic church and if either are missing then there are problems.

There were around fifty present, with ages ranging from ten to eighty-odd, and the evening was divided into two halves, both roughly one hour long. Local support was very good, especially in terms of who performed or shared. We had musicians, singers, puppets, drama, stories, poetry and a preach. There was even some dancing, although this didn't happen at the mic! No rap then, unlike the Sheffield event where that was the most popular genre. Most acts came up for a second go, as the amount of people signing up wasn't overwhelming but was nontheless encouraging, as was the warmth with which those returning to the mic were welcomed back. I believe everyone enjoyed at least one aspect of the evening, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. Photos will appear on the Myspace within the next two weeks, as will a min-review of the night.

In terms of the postcard questionnaires that were laid out ('Is this church and why?' 'What did you enjoy or not enjoy tonight?' etc) the responses were incredibly positive. If anyone wishes to hear how people responded I'd happily email you their comments if you give me your email address. Only one respondent said that it wasn't church but there was no reason given as to why. Perhaps it just lacked certain elements of church that person was accustomed to. But God spoke tonight, some were evidently encouraged in their faith, one guy wandered in unaware of what was going on but stayed behind and had a good spiritual conversation with the preacher, and one person even said they intend to come on an Alpha course happening soon. I'd appreciate your prayers regarding this vision as it unfolds, and though things will be revised as time progresses, I'm really enocuraged by tonight and excited about the future of ACTS OMC. I thank God for both and for those who came, and pray He will have His way in their lives in Jesus name, and that ACTS OMC will happen and grow how/when He wants it to. Several people including the bar staff said they would like the event to happen again, and some others suggested that more would be likely to perform/share in future as the surroundings, event and people become more familiar. I couldn't agree more. So let's do it again, and with more people next time. Amen:)
<><

Sweetest Smile

2008-08-20T17:49:00.000-07:00

Colin Vearncombe is not the most catchy of names, though it's one you aren't likely to forget. He is a singer songwriter who emerged onto the music scene in the 1980s, and will long be remembered for his hit single 'Wonderful Life.' He has, however, like most musicians who get remembered for one thing, done better stuff than this. I only have his greatest hits collection so can hardly call myself a diehard fan, but there is one song I am particularly fond of, namely 'Sweetest Smile.' I don't know how many times I've listened to this in recent months but it's a lot! He writes about a breakup. I don't know if it was autobiographical but he sings it with so much feeling that I wouldn't be surprised...

I think my heart must be made of clay

cause everyone said it would be broken some day

And now I’ve come to that fateful day

Love can make us feel invincible. Relationships can make us feel like all smells of roses and all is treacle-sweet. Well I've got news for you: it's not, and Colin Vearncombe knew that when he wrote this song.

I just wish I was made of wood

I might not feel pain even if I should, even if I should

He wishes he was made of different stuff. The damage has been done. His therapy? He 'writes a new song every day', probably about the pain he's in, or the one who caused it. He speaks of how he would've made things better if only he could've. But he's come to that fateful day; the point of no return. This song is awesome. The lyrics are intelligent and real, the slow saxaphone and synthesiser take you to where he is and sit you down next to him in his self-pity. For me this is the ultimate breakup song, and he sings it so well! And oddly enough I can enjoy it when I'm happy and it doesn't bring my mood down like some sad music can. It amazes me why someone with Vearncombe/Black's musical giftings is only largely remembered for one song and had no notable longetivity to his career, for though he is still making music today he will not have the limelight his gifts warrant (in my opinion) when you have people with nothing to offer musically, such as most winners of reality TV shows, churning out throwaway pop records that other people wrote for them. On this note I wouldn't be surprised if Colin wished he was made of wood once more, but whilst he does that I for one will enjoy my Black: The Collection CD.

Open Mic Church: The Vision

2008-08-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

I've been collecting material for and writing my dissertation for some months now. I had the idea of an open mic event with the aim to evangelise, or tell people who are not Christians a little more about the hope that I as a Christian have in Jesus. I don't want to ram anything down anyone's throat or attack anyone with a Bible (though ironically I got called a 'Bible-basher' the other day!), but instead I want to create an environment where anyone can come, feel at home, enjoy themselves, and hopefully learn something too. I believe people who like open mic events will be more open to this than they would going into your average church, which they are not likely to enter anyway. I don't think I'm being unreasonable in making these assumptions though obviously there will be some exceptions.

The initial idea for all this came to me about fifteen months ago, and more and more as time has gone on I've began to question and wrestle with many aspects of it. People can say what they like to me about it, and largely they have. The positive stuff has been gratefully stored away, most of the negative (which has been considerably less) has been disregarded, and all the constructive criticism and questions have been taken on board, as I know I'm not infallible and I want to do this thing as well as I can. One thing I've been challenged on and questioned a lot myself recently is the very word 'church.' Many emerging churches/fresh expressions of church that I've read about seem so keen to connect with people that they aren't straight up about what they are aiming for or who they are. Basically, they dilute the gospel somewhat and shy away from using the word 'Jesus.' But like Dan Kimball points out in his book They Like Jesus but not the Church, many people have positive perceptions of Jesus but negative ones of church. I have always used the word 'church' with ACTS open mic because I want people to know that I am a Christian and have nothing to hide. But perhaps there IS a better way? Names are important. Perhaps it needs to be revised. Would ACTS Open Mic suffice? ACTS by the way is a twofold name, with it being both the book in the Bible where the Church began whilst also referring to the acts that open mic events require.

Before the February event, the vision was taking a hammering. I was fasting and praying about it, talking and thinking about it all the time, and pouring everything of myself into it-the advertising, practical considerations, getting 'the right people' there, finding and sorting the location, you name it. Leading up to and immediately after the event I was definitely under attack. I was most certainly not at my best in many areas. I put so much pressure on myself, and after it I was exhausted. This made me weak, tired, and vulnerable. Though I trusted in God, I didn't do so enough, and as open mics rely heavily on the personality of the host, I guess to an extent I was pretty proud and wanted everything to be great when really it wasn't. But as for ACTS Open Mic Church in Yeadon, it's a different story altogether. I'm not worried. I'm not driving myself crazy with unnecessary pressure. I'm not busting a gut plugging the thing and dreaming up three-step plans. Instead, I'm relaxed. The venue is arranged, the people God wants to come will come, it's being prayed for, and I'm at peace. You know why? Because God is awesome. And HE, not Matt Wright, is in control.

So, there's been confusion, doubt, questions, criticism, fear, and other negative emotions besides. But you know what? God is in there somewhere. And if you come to Yeadon cricket club on Wednesday 20th August at 7pm (a week today), you'll find Him.

Open mic
+ Open heart
+ Open mind
= God will speak to you

Comments welcome on the above
:)

Place to be...

2008-08-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

ACTS Open Mic Church
Weds 20th August

Yeadon Cricket Club
(Yeadon High Street, behind the White Swan.

Follow signs for Leeds Bradford airport)
7pm

FREE ENTRY

Featuring folk group Aireplay, Hands Up Puppet Company,

Ron Willoughby, Eve & Margaret & more

ACTS Open Mic Church. Because church SHOULD be fun!

For more information visit www.myspace.com/actsopenmicchurch

Sea of Galilee

2008-07-29T04:40:00.000-07:00

When our team met up with the other Nazareth team mid-way through our projects, we spent a day visiting the Sea of Galilee and various places surrounding it, such as a synagogue at Capernaum where Jesuspreached, the place where he fed the 5,ooo, and so on. When on the boat, moving slowly with a gentle breeze, all sorts of music played, some worship, some comical. Embarassing videos on Facebook depict the fun we had. But soon the boat stopped, as did the music, and someone read from Scripture about when Jesus called Peter to step out of the boat and walk on the water, which can be found in Matthew 14:22-36. It would have happened somewhere close to where we were. We reflected in silence as the words were read.

I thought of how God had called me to be in that place and lead the team, doing kids work, all of which are relatively new experiences for me. I reaised how faithful He had been to us all, in equipping us for the tasks He had called us to. I rededicated myself to Him again and prayed Isaiah's famous prayer once more ('Here I am. Send me. Wherever!').

Peter was walking toward Jesus on the water as instructed, but when the wind came, he began to doubt, and then began to sink. I prayed that for the next week of the mission, with 104 12-15 year-olds at the camp, that our faith would be strong enough to keep us above the water. And I can honestly say that by the grace of God this is what happened. Many people were praying for us whilst we were away, and every prayer I'm aware was prayed was answered. God is so faithful, and I have never been on such a unified, one-minded, healthy, energetic, fun-loving, servant-hearted misson team before in all my life. Happy days!:)

Another highlight from that day was helping one team member to renew his baptism vows, meaning we got to dunk him in the Sea of Galilee. A lowlight was the fish I ate before I went in. It was served complete with its eyes still there. I had to ask someone else to remove its head, and seriously considered reverting back to vegetarianism. But I got better.;)

Name badge

2008-07-29T04:37:00.001-07:00

On the camp I wore a name badge, mainly to help people remember my name, including myself, should I forget it. This caused a lot of laughter, especially for the younger children, as apparently 'Matt' means 'died' in Arabic. It also didn't help that one girl got me walking around saying 'my name is carpet' in Arabic. But anyway, how can I be dead and yet still alive? Well, Matt did die, two years and four months ago, and ever since he has been alive in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!:)

Some reflections from Nazareth

2008-07-29T04:22:00.000-07:00

I haven't been on here for a while as my internet at home is temporarily unavailable, so here I am at a local library, reflecting on some key moments from the recent mission I went on with Highway Projects, working with Arab children in Nazareth.

After the orientation days where every team visited many historical and holy sites, each team then went to their individual projects on Sunday 6th-three to Jerusalem and two to Nazareth. St. Margarets Summer Camp, where my team were based, was a very welcoming hostel, situated very high up with a great view of Nazareth below and the mount of the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-13) in the background. On our first night there, we spent a lot of time on the balcony checking out the view. It was the day before the first group of kids arrived (64 in total). so it was quiet apart from the Islamic call to prayer coing from miles below, and the sound of a nearby stylophone...

It was dark, and I saw something nearby. Constructed entirely from shadows and the angles of rooftops, I saw what looked like a statue. It was a man, looking out away from St. Margarets, hands outstretched as though to welcome. Then I remembered Mark 10:14, when Jesus said Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. How fitting that the imaeg was facing the Arab side of the town, as the sumemr camp was for the Arabs, who get a really raw deal over there. Perhaps this is why 'do not hinder them' was relevant.

I didn't share this experience with any of the team as I believe it was for me (especially because it confirmed a word from God that a friend had given me the previous day about Jesus being a gift), but I realised there and then just how awesome a responsibility we had been entrusted with. This camp for the children was their only holiday and possibly even the highlight of their year. They went through checkpoints to get there, at any of which they could have been turned away for no good reason. We had the privilege of, as his disciples, effectively 'being Jesus' to the kids. He bid us welcome them, teach them-have fun with them, as he did during his earthly ministry. Even though I and the team didn't know exactly what we'd be doing for the next thirteen days at that point, I knew we were in for a great time. And truly, I have never in all my life bonded with or enjoyed being with children so much. This is because with Jesus all things are possible, and loving others with his love is both life-changing and also th emost powerful thing we can do.

On Mission!

2008-07-02T01:55:00.000-07:00

I am in Nazareth until 19th July, working daily on a Christian summer camp with 50-60 8-14 year-olds. There are seven of us on the team, working alongside local Christian clergy. There may be a language barrier, particularly with the younger ones, and none of us have been to that part of the world before.

Please pray for us-for protection as we travel to Nazareth and stay there, for our health, for unity within the team...and most importantly of all, that God has His way and uses us however He wills, so that we can be a blessing to the kids and see their lives changed by the love of Jesus.

Thanks.

See you on the blog after the 19th:)
<><

Quality Entertainment

2008-06-29T04:14:00.000-07:00

Two nights ago was my final night at Cliff College, and the last night of the 2008 academic year. Some people were away, and others were doing various other things, but for those who wanted to come, there was an open mic event in the common room. It wasn't well-advertised and nor was it incredibly well-planned (primarily because I mislaid the sign-up sheet), but it was a very memorable and enjoyable evening and I'm very glad it happened.

I started the night off by playing some Johnny Cash music as people walked in. And why not. Much fun was had, and the mood was very light-hearted. There were some quality musical acts from the Cliff residents who tend to perform at such things, including some country and western material, and the mood became more spiritual after some Holy Spirit-inspired creative writing was read. Then there was a very inspirational time where one close friend got up and rapped, making it up on the spot. He rapped about his love for Jesus, and what he meant to him. After that, the entire room became quiet, and we laid hands on and prayed for him. It would've felt somehow inappropriate to go straight back into doing funny stuff (to me at least) and so a friend and I played another Johnny track through my laptop (I Was There When It Happened, originally by Davis/Jones). It was appropriate because it was true for every person present, i.e. Jesus saved us.

Soon after this, the fifth(!) Johnny song of the evening was performed. They were all done in a comedic way, hardly any were rehearsed and most involved a kazoo, but it was they above all that both kept the night flowing and kept the mood bouyant. The success of any open mic is entirely dependent on the attitudes of those who attend, so I'm glad that most who came seemed like they wanted to be there and enjoy it. As the night ended it seemed only fitting to play some more of Johnny's music. So basically, what was intended to be an open mic, consisting of anything those who came wanted it to, turned into something of a country and western appreciation/Johnny Cash tribute night, with God at work both in some of that, and also in between. Good times!

This is why I've decided a Johnny Cash puppet would be an awesome thing. I'm just imagining the audiences he could entertain, both via Johnny's secular tunes, which are loved by many of all ages, and also in the Christian songs he's sung, some of which are very well-known and others not, but all of which contain gospel truth and have an evangelistic potential that cannot be underestimated. So Dad, if you're reading this, because you're more creative than I...you get the picture;)

Like Sheep-a poem

2008-06-25T14:55:00.001-07:00

Like Sheep

A herd of sheep are journeying up a Derbyshire hill
Between fields they are relocated
The shepherd blows a high-pitched whistle
As they embark on their ascent

Some stoop to eat the grass;
The same grass they can find in their new home
Others are looking at the cars that
Their adventure has forced to a standstill
Such sheep stop and others, oblivious, run into them
Some straggle, almost lost at the rear
But for the shepherd’s shout to persevere
Others charge with no apparent regard to destination
And apparently, no fear
The rest continue to trudge along
Unaware of much save the voice that says Press on!

Sitting here as the sun falls
And the sheep move out of sight
I cannot help but wonder
Which one I am

He who dares...

2008-06-25T14:50:00.001-07:00

Only God will remove me, says Robert Mugabe. Though it's hard to know, it probably wouldn't be inaccurate to think that this was said in a mocking way.

Well, however it was said, watch this space folks.

It's going to happen!!!

And God will have His way in Zimbabwe in Jesus name.

The Tournament

2008-06-25T14:14:00.000-07:00

Today has been an awesome day. The Cliff College Cougars football team was due to play against another college, but because the other team couldn't make it, we had a five-a-side tournament made up of four teams within college instead. The Cougars divided themselves into an English team and an international team, and the girls formed a team (the Lionesses, keeping in with the cat theme). Although today was to be my last match for the Cougars, it made sense for me to play with the Postgraduate Panthers, being as I've played with them more than the Cougars this year, and also because we needed another team in the tournament. Each team was to play against each other once, and then have a final couple of games to determine who finished first, second, third or fourth.

We started with a 6-0 victory over the girls, which felt especially good because, after three games and three losses against the Cougars, it was our first victory ever. We then drew 0-0 with the International Cougars, before beating the English Cougars 3-0. We knew we'd played well because we just kept fighting and creating and taking chances whenever we could, and fortunately this meant we hadn't conceded any goals either. An opportunistic couple of early goals gave us an early lead but we kept cool heads and defended well. Admittedly the Cougars had injury problems and weren't at full strength, but we were glad to finally have beaten them. This put us in the battle for first and second place, two points ahead of the International Cougars, our rivals for that match. The English Cougars had just finished third, having beaten the Lionesses. Yet again, we and the International Cougars cancelled each other out. We all battled really hard, but couldn't break each other down. This led to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winners which, after a bit of nail-bitingly close moments, we won, with our goalkeeper scoring his penalty...Wearing slippers!

The atmosphere was great, people from within the college came down to cheer everyone on, and God's love was evident in that there were no real incidents, and no cards had to be brandished. If only we'd fought today for the trophy that the Cougars will receive at graduation, instead of the last time we played them!

Thank you Lord for some great and fun footballing memories at Cliff College, and to all who have ever played for or supported the Postgraduate Panthers this year.

I'll sign off with our team anthem:

All hail the lamb enthroned on high
His praise shall be our battle cry
He reigns victorious, forever glorious
His name is Jesus, he is the Lord!

© 1987 Kingsway's Thankyou Music

Hallelujah amen!:)

New poem: 'Searching for Love'

2008-06-19T05:39:00.000-07:00

I don't like rhyming poetry. That is, I don't like writing rhyming poetry. I find it too predictable, also so easy to get wrong and so hard to do well. But that is how, despite attempts to the contrary, this poem came about. This is a brief snippet of the last few years of my life. I think there's a message here, though I'm not too happy with it if I'm honest. Comments welcome(!).

Searching for Love (and finding it among brackets)

Holes in my face to be with a woman
(Who said she loved me)
Marks on my skin for a musician
(Who didn’t love me)

Poets and paintings tried to convey it
(but I couldn’t feel it through their work)
I wore it in Claret and Blue form
(but no one else loved my shirt)

It wasn’t in the biscuits I ate
(though they gave me power)
It wasn’t in the roses I bought
(nor does it smell like flowers)

My cat’s head butt contained it
It was in a white flag from my sister
Her eyes over the phone displayed it
(And it rules my thoughts when I miss her)

Then I saw open arms
And a face both red and pale,
Found all I needed on planks of wood
(Realising I’d had it nailed)

Ressurrected poem

2008-06-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some old files and found the following poem, which I wrote when I was at uni. On my last trip to Manchester Piccadilly train station I realised it was no longer accurate, as I'd got my 20p ready in order to use the loo, only to find out it now costs 30p! Tut tut. Labour government.

Twenty Pence Pieces

Not quite round, thought with smooth corners
A welcome relief at station Piccadilly
My shiny little comfort, a blast of hot water
Bubblegum, some clean lingerie

Knighthood on the Cards?

2008-06-16T13:48:00.000-07:00

I know what you're asking yourself. And believe me, I'm doing the same thing.

Just when are the Chuckle Brothers going to be knighted?

Seriously. They've been bringing laughter and joy to millions on a regular basis since the mid 1980s, and because they don't seem to age, they'll probably be going for some time yet. After an entire lifetime in the entertainment industry in various capacities, including a singing career and hosting their own game show, their live theatre shows still sell out, their TV show 'Chucklevision' is one of the most popular shows on BBC I-player (I imagine), and they are still going strong.

Also, according to their website (http://www.thechucklebrothersontour.co.uk/), a Chuckle biography is going to be hitting a bookstore near you in a matter of weeks. How she's overlooked them for so long is anybody's guess, but let's hope her Majesty gives this a read, as then she'll be able to give good old Paul and (especially) Barry the honours they deserve.
:)

Interviews

2008-06-16T13:26:00.000-07:00

During the course of my (ongoing) dissertation research I've had the privilege of interviewing, among others, Professor John Drane and Bishop John Finney. These are their views on open mic church :

It raises questions like “what do I think Jesus was up to?” He seemed to hear from all sorts of people and actually create spaces where people could contribute and be part of the journey together. So, for me, this is what I think church should be like. -Professor John Drane

Jesus was always a listener; always
able to toss the ball back into other people’s courts, always able to make
something worthwhile out of what could be a very straightforward
comment by somebody else. So he was able to take if you like the ‘open
mic’, which he himself was there for-I mean anybody could say anything
to Jesus, so in a way he did not have a microphone but he had an open ear, which may be more important than an open mic. -Bishop John Finney

Although I prefer Drane's view for obvious reasons, Finney's got me thinking. This may sound obvious but I feel a need to say it all the same: Though as Christians we have a gospel to proclaim and are called to do so, we must never forget that those we are trying to reach are in a completely different situation to ourselves, with each person differing from the next, in many ways and sometimes dramatically. They all have different views, beliefs, and experiences, and they will bring every one into any spiritual conversation we have with them. We must be ready to listen. In the words of my good friend Ron Willoughby, friends listen to friends, therefore they do not ignore or rashly brush aside each other's views. At many open mic events I've been to, some, particularly poets, haven't seemed to have too much respect for other artist's material. This is evidenced either by their leaving as soon as they've performed their poetry, or by talking loudly when other people are at the mic. This is both rude and wrong, for what right have they got to expect to be listened to if they aren't prepared to do that themselves? Therefore, both out of common courtesy but also following the example set by Jesus, Christians must be prepared to listen. If we don't, why should we expect anyone to listen to us?

Love it or loathe it, the hymn 'Go, Tell it on the Mountain' (verse two) says this:

He reached out and touched them, the blind, the deaf, the lame;
He spoke and listened gladly to anyone who came

So...go! And tell it on the mountain, or the supermarket, or open mic church, or whilst walking your dog, or going wherever you go and doing whatever you do. But remember also to listen!
:)

Things I have learned this past week:

2008-06-10T11:35:00.000-07:00

-Considering I've lived here for several years now, I really don't know Leeds very well at all

-In the right context, puppet evangelism can be just as effective crouched down on knees and hiding behind a table on its side with a zebra playing Peter the apostle fishing with a rod made out of a cocktail stick and string *pauses for air* as it can be using a proper stage complete with chair, script and person puppet

-Travis died in Blake's Seven. Much to my dismay

-Ecclesiastes 4:12 inspired me, with two close Christian friends, that we must be accountable to each other, constantly praying for each other, and praying with each other. Because a cord of three strands is not quickly broken, and God is the greatest weaver

-Traffic lights is an AWESOME game, as is golf

-Moses the shepherd was a maintenance pastor. Moses the prophet had come into his calling, but until he did, all he was doing was keeping things ticking over. His calling, like ours, was useless until he responded to it

-The sun really does want to shine in Britain

-A soldier without one piece of armour may as well not go into battle. Think Boromir in The Fellowship of the Ring, where tries to defend Merry and Pippin without his shield and dies. As Christians, we need to put on the armour of God-all of it, every single day

-The person I spent today with really makes me :)

-I am truly blessed, as are all who receive the free gift of Jesus' love

The Greatest Thing

2008-06-04T03:09:00.000-07:00

Introducing the greatest invention since hand dryers were invented...the Dyson Airblade! I used one of these for the first time recently and knew I had to blog about it, so here is a little info about the life-changing experience that ensued.

After washing my hands, I went to look for the dryers. Couldn't see any, so I looked for hand towels. Couldn't see any of those either. Then I heard what sounded like a dryer coming from a few yards away, and I looked and saw a chap placing his hands into what looked like a mini folded-down ironing board attached to the wall. Gotta be worth a go, I thought. So over I went, dripping hands and all, and placed them at the mercy of the strange-looking device. The experience only lasted a few seconds. That's all it needed to. For the air came fast-so fast in fact that I feared some skin was going to come off. I was so pleasantly surprised that I began to chuckle with delight, and, upon turning my head to the right, the man next to me was doing the same thing. It's not often that the use of a hand dryer can generate both laughter but also conversation, but both were shared during that moment, and the good people at Dyson had unknowingly produced a brilliant conversation starter. The exchange with the man I met was one of those welcome friendly conversations we don't tend to have so much in Britain nowadays, so it was very welcome.

And you know what I realised, upon removing my hands from the device? Unlike when using many other dryers, my hands were actually dry! Not only this, but water had not had chance to run all the way down my wrists and annoyingly trickle beneath my sleeves. Oh no. Because the people at Dyson don't put them high up, but cleverly put them at a height that is both intelligently-positioned and also convenient to reach.

The Dyson Airblade is here to stay folks. Wishing you as pleasurable experience as mine was. You won't want to go back to the machines of yesteryear I can assure you!;)

I AM- a poem

2008-06-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

I don't think this poem is quite the finished article yet but I'd appreciate constructive comments on it please. Thanks.

I AM

You are my monosodium glutamate
The second sugar in my café latte
Author of unconscious adventure.
You are the cherry on a Bakewell I didn’t ask for
The skimmed milk to my calcium deficiency
Unexpected breakfast in bed.
You are the greatest autobiography
A cheque that will never bounce
Deep Heat on a football wound.
You are a satnav I will never want to punch
A burglar alarm that snares the thief,
An internal alarm clock.
You are the quill that penned the greatest play
A fist in the face of the baddies in my life,
The greatest marriage councillor.
You turn my spiders into flies and cut me loose
From their web made out of fear and glue
You are the everything.
You are all that you say you are
You are all I could understand and the sequel to that
You are God
You are love
And I am yours.

So long, Gareth...

2008-06-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

I am an Aston Villa fan. For the last fifteen years, ever since I've been into football, Villa have been my team. And it's been a rough ride! Always one of the biggest clubs in the Premiership and with one of the most successful histories but never with quite enough talent to break into the top four or five, it's been entertaining supporting them to say the least. I've seen them reach several finals and lift two cups (the league cup, both in 1993/4 and in 1996), but as for the league itself...I've seen them go from escaping relegation by a single point to finishing sixth, with just above midtable seeming to be the average place.

I've seen great players come and go, the most prominents of my heroes being Mark Bosnich, Dean Saunders, Gareth Southgate, Paul Merson, and then of course Gareth Barry. Of course Gareth Barry. Gareth Barry who has been at the club for ELEVEN(!) years, and learned from Southgate and the others, becoming a greater play perhaps now than the man himself ever was. Gareth Barry who emerged as a left-sided defender or centre-back, who later went on to play on the left wing or even in central midfield where he plays at present-arguably his strongest position. Gareth Barry who was overlooked on the England front for years, but is now an England regular. Gareth Barry who is the inspirational Villa captain, a leader who is helping Martin O'Neill take us to greater things. Gareth Barry who every Villa fan holds in very high regard, for we know how much he has done for our team. Gareth Barry who, it turns out, Liverpool are persistently keen to sign.

I've also seen managers come and go, including Ron Atkinson, Graham Taylor and David O'Leary (a group I like to call 'The Incompetents') and then there's Brian Little and John Gregory, both of whom did wonders for the club but never quite seemed to establish us as the side every Villa fan believes we can be. Then Martin O'Neill came along. He was the man who would start the revolution that had been long overdue, and I daresay he'll follow it through to completion too. Doug Ellis left as chairman also, taking his stranglehold on the club's finances with him. The new chairman, Randy Lerner, is a billionaire, who trusts O'Neill, which helps given that players cost so much these days. Talk of an £80million war chest to spend this summer is good news, and Villa's finishing sixth this year (a dramatic imporvement on the 11th and 16th of the last two seasons) is definitely something which O'Neill seeks to build on.

O'Neill is a persuasive man; a great, hard-working manager whose track record speaks for itself (when he was Leicester manager they always beat Villa, going into cup success, and he established Celtic as the greatest team in Scotland, ending many years of Rangers' dominance). He usually gets who he wants, and he also knows how to get the best out of players. It's no coincidence that Barry is now an England regular, after O'Neill made Barry captain and helped him significantly improve his game. O'Neill will, I believe, make some great signings this summer (come on Henry, you know you want to come to Villa Park and break Alan Shearer's goalscoring record) and Villa will continue to threaten the big four until at last we become one of them and even (why not?) begin to challenge for the league...but it seems increasingly likely that all this will happen without Gareth Barry. O'Neill is willing to dramatically break the Villa wage structure to keep him, and if we win the Intertoto Cup this coming year then he will be playing the European football he so desperately craves anyway. He doesn't need that to get into the England team though or he wouldn't be in it now. Eleven years is an extraordinarily length of time for a player to remain at one club, so I can't really begrudge him leaving or accuse him of being unloyal, but I guess I just wish he would make his mind up, as this saga has been going on too long for all those concerned.

Thank you, Gareth Barry, for the last eleven years. They've been enjoyable and entertaining, and you've played a big part in the great team Villa are now-even computer games are recognising that Villa are no longer pants but can actually play football!

But if you are going to go, please just get on with it and put me and every other Villa fan out of our misery. We can only hold our breath so long.

Uncle Joe-a poem

2008-05-30T05:33:00.000-07:00

Uncle Joe

Fingers rotate.
Mouth salivates.
This is a difficult moment to prolong.

To unwrap the paper is to unwrap the thoughts
That only he can solve,
And one wonders if he wants to part with the answers.
With each suck reality is suspended,
Just a little.

Reflection never tasted so good.
Pure good.

How many mysteries can be solved by a jar?
Cream of tartar, pure cane sugar, oil of peppermint,
He had it all figured out so long ago

At that moment when the sweet becomes a mint,
I laugh, knowing I’ll need another before the day is through
And he laughs at the sucker who fell for his tune

Cliff College Festival 2008

2008-05-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend has seen Cliff College Festival come and go. It's an annual event at Cliff College, where I study, which happens every May bank holiday. Several thousand come, mostly Christians, and there is all sorts on offer, from various styles of worship and teaching to games, food, and so on. Every staff and every student gets involved, and volunteers come too. It's not surprising that some people come year after year, and that many camp in tents because the rooms are always full. The theme for this year's festival was renewing grace. Being a postgrad this year, my responsibilities were different than last year due to my workload, but I was fortunate to get involved in some ways (mainly physical work and puppet evangelism) as well as having time to experience some of the activities.

On the Saturday I worked with Puppets for Jesus. We did a workshop on how to use the puppets, including the do's and dont's of puppet ministry, and the chance for everyone who was interested to have a go with the puppets themselves. Everyone who came seemed to enjoy it, as did we! I was able to catch up with some friends and we were able also to pray with each other, which was a real blessing as we don't always have time to do that. The worship I went to that night was pretty flat to be honest but that was remedied by my friend Barney, who made some of his infamous spic noodles for a couple of us. After eating, Barney preached a seemingly impromptu (though definitely Spirit-led) sermon to us on what it is to follow Christ and pursue holiness. He must have preached at us in the kitchen for at least half an hour, but it was so powerful and so real that we wouldn't have wanted to stop him even if we could.

On the Sunday I went to all-age worship with a special friend, which was awesome. Not only do I enjoy kids songs, but the preach was powerful. The guy who preached was talking about Zacchaeus, the small tax collector who climbed a tree to see Jesus, so he had a tree on stage and climbed to the top of a step ladder next to it from hich he preached the whole sermon. 'I dare you to be different' was the message. Different like Zacchaues was when he met Jesus. Dare you be different for Jesus? All-age worship rocks. It's fun both fun and understandable. Just like church should always be. That afternoon, working with Puppets for Jesus again, we went to nearby Bakewell for 'Puppets in the Park.' Beginning with a crowd of about four people, after about forty-five minutes we ended up with around thirty-five. Steve Wild and Clarence the frog, along with Martin Mitchell and Sammy the frog-eating snake, provided a lot of entertainment, whilst we did a couple of sketches with songs interspersed between what the others were doing. Basicaly, people were drawn and seeds of the truth of the gospel were planted. Result!

That evening, instead of what would until a while ago have been an ACTS Open Mic Church event, there was 'Grace', an evening of testimony, in some ways similar to an open mic event. It was powerful. There was no sign-up system, and not an incredible amount of variety, but it was very powerful and God truly had His hand on it. Once one person had shared testimony of what God had been doing in their life, more followed. It was almost as though everyone there had something to share, for it was like a revolving door. Time flew, God spoke, and I believe everyone was blessed. Elizabeth Cumbest, a seventeen-year-old musician from Mississippi, was a real highlight. She lost a lot in Hurrican Katrina, and has released a beautiful, truly anointed album in order to raise money for the Seashore Mission UM Church over there. Look out for her. My friend Angie also shared testimony of how God has worked His healing in her life. I wanted to get up and share a zebra story I'd written but seriously, no one follows Angie. She is a walking miracle.

On the Monday morning I attended 'Presence'-a HUGE service on the terrace lawn, with Martyn Atkins, our current principal and president of the Methodist Conference, preaching. He is the third Cliff College ever to hold such a position, so it was quite a historical moment. Keeping in with the theme of the weekend, he preached about grace. That afternoon I joined some of Angie's youth group (all from Rochdale, where I used to live) to form a team for the football tournament. Unfortunately we were out in the first round as we needed to win and instead drew 0-0, but the guys on my team were awesome. I think they were all about 12 or below, but we dominated the game. I stopped the others having a shot on our goal whilst the other guys rained death on their goal, striking the post and crossbar several times, but sadly unable to score. It was fun while it lasted.

That evening was Soul Cafe, a cafe-style church from Derby. followed by Clarence's chat show, where the current director of evangelism, Steve Wild, and his flog Clarence, held their last chat show before they both move down to work in Cornwall. Cliff College will miss him (both of them) very much, as will I. Steve is the person who first encouraged me to use puppets in evangelism, and in fact is where my first zebra puppet, Eddie, came from. He is such a good, loving, genuine friend-in fact probably the most real person I know. He's the only person I know who can show physical affection for everyone he comes into contact with and not offend them, for such expressions of his love are common. I have heard this described as 'outrageous love.' And the things that Clarence says that people won't give Steve the chance to...this is the mark of one of the greatest evangelists anyone could ever meet. Clarence (and Steve) interviewed many people at the chat show, including former principal Howard Mellor, and it was a really special time, with Howard praying for Steve at the end regarding the next step in his ministry. The entire room had been blessed by Steve, both on that night and in the past. He means so much to us all. To see and feel the whole room united in prayer for Steve was awesome. It was such a privilege to be there.

The next day (Monday) was clear-up. Staff, students and volunteers were running everywhere after the visiotrs had left, carrying this, dragging that, taking this down, fixing that, etc. We were all shattered. I was feeling especially low and oppressed from many sides, which the tiredness didn't help. There were problems, even in friendships within college. In the end I rang a friend to ask for prayer. 'I know God is bigger than this and that most of it is in my head anyway and that God will see me through all these problems but...' and then I realised what I'd said. How dare I stick a 'but' after that? God IS bigger, than anything, and nothing is too hard for Him to deal with, therefore I needed to pick myself up from that and carry on in His strength. It's like I'd taken my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) and left it somewhere, meaning my faith had taken a blow and I had been unable to defend myself. This reminded me how important it is to spend quality time with God each morning and to dress myself in His armour before facing whatever the day may entail, instead of just rushing in and trying to do things by myself. So my friend prayed for me, and in the very act of affirmation ('God is able to help' etc.) I already had begun to feel better, for praise truly is a blow to the enemy. He can throw what he likes at us but he is truly beaten. That for me is the definition of grace-God allowing us to experience things we don't deserve, like the relationship with Him that Jesus made available to us when he kicked Satan's butt on the cross. And in realising this, sitting at home and getting ready for facing the future with God's guiding hand, guess what? I feel renewed.:)
<><

The Open Church

2008-05-20T10:57:00.000-07:00

I'm reading a book at the moment that was recommended to me a couple of weeks ago, called 'The Open Church' by James Rutz. It's awesome. Not only is it really helpful for my dissertation on the conceptof open mic church, but it's also (I believe) an accurate and hope-giving picture of what church was intended to be, and still can.

This is an excerpt which I hope will inspire plenty of comments...

'When response is forbidden till the service is over, what can you expect? And it realy is forbidden. Suppose, for instance, some gent pops up in the middle of the sermon next Sunday and says:

"Hey, great point, pastor! The Lord's been teaching me a lot about that lately. In fact, this past week I experienced an amazing example of what you just described. On Tuesday morning..."

The nearest deacon will invite him to bricks. Straightway and forthwith. The number 1 rule for laymen in closed, non-participatory services is, "Siddown and shuddup." Yes, they're supposed to respond wholeheartedly to the sermon...but only after they go home and get down to real life!

Things were different in days of yore, when the church of Jesus Christ was turning Rome on its imperial ear. Laymen were free to obey the promptings of the Holy Spirit and speak up when they had something to say. They were born running-talking in church and witnessing outside it. And in the space of three centuries, they had conquered for Christ much of the known world, up to and including the Emperor. Without even any Four Laws booklets.

That shows they were better witnessed than most Christians today. And why? Because the church didn't stifle them. It conditioned them to communicate their faith. Church services were different then. Livelier. More off-the-wall. We don't have many specifics about what they looked like, but we do have a few. Such as these...

Three Clues from Scripture

1. "When you come together, everyone has something to contribute: a hymn, a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation...you can all prophesy in turn..."

Sunday morning in Corinth was a free-for-all, so Paul was telling them to act more Presbyterian. But notice: He did endorse individual contributions by everyone. (Do you?)

2. "While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul...'" This couldn't happen in the church today! Our worship patterns don't allow it, and we don't do fasts. Our missionaries get their calls straight from God, then spendeons convincing supporters they did. If it weren't for the "extrabiblical" requirement of running around with a tin cup before getting a passport and shots, we'd have four or five times as many missionaries on the field.

3. "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs..." Precisely what does "one another" mean? Group singing? Hardly! Tertullion tells us what it meant in his day:

"In our Christian meetings we have plenty of songs, verses, sentences and proverbs. [obviously individual] After hand-washing and bringing in the lights, each Christian is asked to stand forth and sing, as best he can, a hymn to God, either of his own composing, or one from the Holy Scriptures."

Try that next Sunday! In Tertullion's time (160-230), there were many churches that were interactive powerhouses, not audiences.'

A place where all can share and praise God however they choose or feel led? Open mic church!

All for the Glory of God

2008-05-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul writes, so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

One thing I've learned since being at Cliff College is that we can worship God in virtually any way. 'Worship' for many may connote worship in a corporate setting, probably involving music and a church, but really it can be done in almost anything. This is what Paul is talking about, and as I grow in Christ I'm finding more ways in which to do it. Today is a prime example of this, for just an hour ago I was playing in a football match, with the Cliff College Cougars (basically the undergraduate team, whom I formed last year) versus the Postgraduate Panthers (a team of primarily postgraduate students and staff, who I formed this year because the Cougars weren't playing enough matches). It was a 6-a-side match, and this is the third time we played them.

On reflection, after losing 5-3, 4-3 and today 2-0, it's fair to say that the Cougars are a better team, mainly because a) they score more goals than us, and b) we don't score enough. I have no shame in admitting this, for they are overall much younger, faster and fitter than our team, and also play football more regularly. The advantage was definitely theirs, but nonetheless, we went out their and gave it our best. And the thing that God really spoke to me about was that, even though we were the losing team, we were not losing our cool, which is unfortunately a common occurrence in football matches, but instead we just kept encouraging each other and battling our way through. We did not get discouraged nor did we lose hope, until the final whistle eventually spelled defeat. Before the match we prayed and gave it to God, and also at half time. Though He didn't improve our abilities in ways which we probably wouldn't have objected to, He certainly did instill calm, and by His grace we were able to glorify Him through our actions and words. I pray that as we bathe our wounds and some learn to walk again (for it was a physical match!), we will all be able to reflect on and appreciate the calm and the humour which we approached and left the game with, and I will also play for the Cougars, whose 11-a-side record is not as good as their 6-a-side, that when they do lose to a proper team again that they will have learned something from the experience. We serve an awesome God.
:)

Open Mic Puppetry

2008-05-18T10:36:00.000-07:00

This coming Sunday (25th May) at Cliff College (Calver, Derbyshire, S32 3XG) there will be an open mic event in the college chapel, free entry. I am not involved, and nor is it in any way associated with or related to ACTS Open Mic Church, but I will be there, and as the vision for ACTS develops I'm sure there will be some things I can learn from the event. Because of the setting, it will be a Christian-led event and will also have a two-fold theme of grace and renewal (or possibly renewing grace).

I don't know the time it will start yet but will do soon if anyone wants to get in touch and ask, or else I'd suggest a 7pm arrival so that you aren't disappointed. The only confirmed act I know of thus far is Puppets for Jesus, whose work can be found at http://www.puppetsforjesus.org/.

Puppets for Jesus have a very unique and exciting ministry, sharing the love of Jesus via the medium of puppets, in schools, churches, openair events; you name it, they can probably do it, and are available to be booked at the above website. It's amazing how much fun puppets can be, and for all ages too. It's also interesting to see how many people are more prepared to listen to a puppet talk about Jesus as opposed to a person!

The open mic actually falls on the Cliff College 'Festival' weekend (see http://www.cliffcollege.ac.uk/festival/index.php for more info). Puppets for Jesus will be there for the whole weekend, doing various things as well as getting involved in the open mic, and will also have their own stall in the marketplace area, where their puppets can be bought and all your puppet-related questions can be asked.

Hope to see you on Sunday. I don't know about the other acts, but as far as this one is concerned, missing it means missing out!:)

Obedience

2008-05-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

I'm grateful for many things. Today, I'm especially
grateful for what happened this morning. I went to a church one of my friends was preaching at, to help them take the service. It was the first time I'd worked with Eddie the zebra in eight months, so we were a little rusty, but it all worked out. Eddie wasn't the preacher by the way, but my helper. He remembered his testimony without it being written down, and people seemed to dig what we did. I mean, the kids were definitely with us, as were a good number of adults. One thing I couldn't work out was how to break through the stoney gazes that some of the adults seemed reluctant to part with, but all in all we enjoyed ourselves, and I believe God spoke through it. Eddie's story is like many of our own-one of rebellion. His Mother told him not to stray from the path in the middle of the jungle. And guess what he did? That's right-he strayed from the path. The consequences? Getting muddy, thinking he'd lost his stripes, getting upset, thinking he's not a zebra anymore, despair!

Eddies' Mother soon set him straight though. She didn't tell him off, ground him, hit him or anything like that. Instead, she took him to the river and helped him wash away the mud. She knew he was a zebra all along, albeit one who had made a mistake. We, like Eddie, all make mistakes. We all do things we shouldn't, and from time to time we will always disobey someone, even if just a little. If we ever go against the ways in which we are taught to live in the Bible, i.e. the ten commandments, and also the instructions given to us by Jesus, we too will end up in a mess. This is why Jesus came-to help us, to teach us how to live, yes, but also to die for us, taking with him on that cross all the mistakes we have and will ever make. If we trust in him, realise our need for him, accepting him into our lives by asking him to make us new, he will. As it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Jesus washes away our mistakes, washes away the 'mud' if you like, so that we can start afresh with him. Eddie's Mother knew he'd done wrong, but she corrected him...in love. Maybe that's what the Christians among us need to do, for that's what Jesus will do when we go to him. Instead of saying 'look at you, you've made a mistake', Jesus instead helps us, by the gift of the Holy Spirit he has made available to us, so that we don't have to make the same mistake again. Just as Eddie will (hopefully) not stray from that path again, so must we remain obedient to Jesus, the one who calls us and came to save us, whom the grave could not contain, that we may live lives pleasing to God the Father.

Eddie and I spoke about obeying Jesus, and my friend who was preaching later preached about this same thing. In Matthew 28:19, Jesus says to his disciples (which applies to Christians today, because by being his followers we are by definition disciples): Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This command from Jesus is as relevant and applicable to us now as it ever was, and the need for it to be obeyed is perhaps greater than it ever was. One lady at the church said 'We don't do mission here.' What she failed to realise though is that, without mission, there is no church! If church is the body of Christ, the people of God, then His people, who were made to be in relationship with Him, are called to obey Him! God's mission in this world is a continuing thing and will be until Jesus returns to judge it. This means that, whether we are praying, talking about our faith, inviting people to join us at church or whatever, we all have a role to play in God's mission (or missio Dei), and we don't have to become preachers, missionaries or whatever else. God can use anyone and anything, and it is not an option we can reject but instead it is a privilege to be used in His service. That was a bit of a rant, but I am so grateful that I took part in that service this morning, and for the sermon my friend preached. Whoever we are, our role in God's mission as disciples of Jesus Christ cannot be ignored.

Feeling Trapped?

2008-05-14T10:12:00.000-07:00

I just went for a walk down some slopy paths among the trees. The plants and bushes were overgrown, stretching their arms over the dirt path I could clearly see just a few months ago. I was walking slowly, the sun poking through gaps among the trees, when I had to stop. If I'd kept going, I would've walked right through a spider web. Instead, I stopped, my face about two inches from it at eye level. I noted the victim-one lonely fly, all wrapped up and helpless, at one side of the web, and at the other, the spider, nonchalantly making his (or her) way toward the prey. It struck me, after a moment surveying the scene, that this how the devil works. It may seem a simple analogy, but one worth noting all the same. You see, he is always trying to catch us out; always trying to pull us down, so that he can devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Once he's got us caught in a place where he wants us, we are pretty helpless. Just like the fly, we can't get out under our own strength, no matter how much we struggle. Maybe this is why the spider was in no hurry to reach the fly-for he (or she) knew it wasn't going anywhere!

Thankfully for us, it's not all bad news. There is a way out, no matter how bad or desperate our situations may be, and his name is Jesus Christ. EVERYONE who calls on his name will be saved (Acts 2:21), and he is the only one to have stood up and resisted Satan's tempting when he tried to make him slip up (Luke 4:1-13). His death on the cross and resurrection defeated Satan too. Jesus is the only one who HAS conquered Satan, and we can live in his victory, if we choose to. Whatever temptation or difficulty we are faced with, it's not too big for him to handle. But this happening requires us asking him! So whatever you are going through, give it up to Jesus. And watch as the spider become the fly!!!

Facebook group is closing down (my fair lady)

2008-05-07T01:31:00.001-07:00

The ACTS Open Mic Church group on Facebook is closing down, but this is by no means a bad thing. Those wishing to keep in touch with ACTS OMC's activities can do so by checking out the Myspace, befriending ACTS OMC on Facebook (that's right-the puppet reverend guy has his own Facebook account), by emailing me (gambit222@hotmail.com) or by reading this blog.

Why is it closing down, I hear you ask? Well, being a Christian who also happens to be a Methodist, here are three reasons:

1) Many people, after joining a Facebook group, rarely or never check them, therefore they are likely to miss important information such as future events

2) Myspace is much better than Facebook for music, meaning those artists who perform/will perform at ACTS OMC can publicise their art a bit on the ACTS OMC Myspace

3) It felt like the right thing to do, and also less complicated and less hassle for you having one main website to chekc instead of two.

Good times. Hope to see you in Yeadon on 20th August:)

John 1:4-9, a poem

2008-05-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is a short poem based on the following Scripture passage:

John 1:4-9

John saw a light and pointed it out
He became a papyrus map
But the people were not explorers.

Ignorance poured water on it
A flame became a flicker, became embers, became nothing
The light the people doused
is still shining now
even in the darkest of places
where hope has done a runner and
they still dwell
and die.

His name is Jesus
And he burns for you.

What are you eating?

2008-05-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

I just went for a walk to the shop down the road. It wasn't that enjoyable due to my foot being much more injured from football yesterday than I thought it was, but soon enough I'd bought some essentials and learned how to walk in order to minimise the pain, and life was good again. The sun going down in rural Derbyshire is truly a thing to behold. I walked up the lane and back into the Cliff College grounds and looked down, through the trees and over the hills. It was incredible. Besides the sound of traffic below, the only other sound was the bleating of sheep in nearby fields that filled the air. And there was a lot of bleating. I tried to understand them. What are saying that they are so keen to communicate? I asked myself. Then it dawned on me. They were hungry! My pastor was standing next to me, and he said that the farmer has normally fed them by that time. So they were basically saying, 'Where's my dinner?'

This whole scenario reminded me of John 21:15-17, when Jesus said to Peter three times, 'feed my sheep.' Jesus was talking about his then disciples-the people who formed the Church. Jesus entrusted the leadership of these people to Peter, leaving him the responsibility of ensuring they are properly taught how to live, as Jesus himself had instructed and shown Peter to do. I believe it is so important that Christians such as myself live how Jesus taught us to, and tell other people how to do this too, by communicating his love for them both through our lifestyles and our words. But we cannot do this very well if we are not eating the right spiritual food, such as reading the Bible every day and applying it to our lives. An athlete who eats well one day of the week and eats Burger King for every meal for the next six days will not be a very good athlete, and so it is with us. A good diet helps our mental and physical wellbeings, and a good spiritual diet ensures our spiritual health, which is the most important of all. So, the question is, what are you eating? If it is not good for you, leave it alone! But if it is the Word of God, share it with a friend! People all over the world are spiritually hungry, just like these sheep were physically hungry. The thing is, they just don't know it yet. If they did, imagine the amount of bleating that would be heard all over the world!

ACTS Open Mic Church

2008-04-30T08:44:00.001-07:00

What? The next ACTS Open Mic Church

When? Weds 20th August 2008, 7pm

Where? Yeadon Cricket Club, Yeadon, West Yorks (near Leeds & Bradford airport)

Free entry, all welcome to perform/share whatever.
Bar available.

Contact gambit222@hotmail.com for more info.

ACTS Open Mic Church. Because church SHOULD be fun!

Fast Food

2008-04-25T01:46:00.000-07:00

It's a good question I know we all ask ourselves: what WOULD happen if the tables turned, and the chickens got their revenge on us?

In 'Disco Lies', Moby provides an entertaining answer within the context of a great song.

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwyPI-zKqRs

A true return to form for Moby.

Delicious.

New poem-Israelite

2008-04-18T06:49:00.001-07:00

Israelite

I am
a restless child
closed-eared
eating the wrong food
eyeless
in chains
without a map
sorry;
head scratching
sick of this bread
empty-pocketed
behind a wall
(back to it)
on the wrong road
falling
dust.

But God just bailed me out.
Again.

;)

SCARY truth...

2008-04-14T06:49:00.000-07:00

Why is it that, if it wasn't immoral or illegal or wouldn't leave me racked with guilt, and basically if there were no consequences, that all the people I would kill are Christians?

Snooker

2008-04-11T09:47:00.000-07:00

Hi John!
:)

My Transforming Self-a poem

2008-04-01T02:46:00.000-07:00

I wrote this poem after being both unnecessarily and repeatedly insulted by a 'Christian' comedian in Llandudno recently. I'd appreciate comments on it. Thanks.

My Transforming Self on Llandudno Beach

The night is still, almost icy warm
I am wounded.
So open, so inviting,
Unresponsive yet assuring,
The water wants to help.

I throw a pebble.
It represents passivity
Plop. It invades the swell.

I throw another.
With this one goes my youthful face.
It skims three times.

Another two
For indecisiveness,
One rounded, one ragged.

Boulder.
Big splash.
There goes my transparency.

Stumbling backward,
I find a shell to protect myself,
Where only God can see me,
And only ears pressed close will hear.

A smooth circle rock
Floats down so slow,
Falling from memory.
The splash reminds of the need for change.
It happens now.
And for every kick aimed at my shell,There are plenty more rocks ready to respond.

Open Mic Church?

2008-02-29T13:19:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday 20th February at the Showroom Cafe in Sheffield, I hosted what I understand was the first ever 'open mic church.' I was deliberate in the planning, ensuring that no matter who came, Christian or not, they could perform whatever they wanted to. I have many people, and of course God to thank for this, but I am happy to report there was a full setlist, a capacity audience, much fun was had by all, and it wasn't just Christians who performed. There was also an overwhelming amount of positive feedback; in fact around 75% of the feedback received (short postcard questionnaires) said that the event definitely proved that, with that night as an example, church can work in an open mic context.

The sign-up sheet system definitely worked, but the few major things I'd change for next time are that I would give each act a specific amount of time, so that more people can perform and the night flows better, and I would also have the break a little earlier, as for various reasons that happened quite late on. I'd also ensure I arrive in really good time so that any slides I have prepared to be projected will definitely work! But there are many positives from the night, not just the feedback but also the way in which so many friends, family members and also complete strangers came to support the event, and the laid-back atmosphere truly helped to make it memorable, and the overall quality of the acts? Outstanding.

Please add the ACTS Open Mic Church Myspace to hear of when future ACTS open mic churches will happen: http://www.myspace.com/actsopenmicchurch. It will also make you aware of the artists who have perform at ACTS OMC events in case you are interested in their work.

It's my dissertation project yes, but it's a long-term vision. The venue will move around as I seek to find a permanent base and core group to help me establish it long-term, but each event is open to anyone, whether you want to perform or not, so please stay in touch to keep informed. There is also a Facebook group, the link for which is on a previous post, or failing that just search 'ACTS Open Mic Church' on the 'groups' section of Facebook. Hoping to see you soon!:)

Dragon's Den

2008-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

I was watching TV at a friend's house yesterday. He was channel surfing and we came across 'Dragon's Den'. It's the first time I've actually just sat down and watched it, and I have to say it made me chuckle! All these well-dressed pioneers with big ideas trying to make it in the dog-eat-dog world of business on one side of the room, and on the other sat the mean-faced potential backers, ready to scrutinise even the slightest flaw in their plans. Some of the ideas seemed really well-researched and presented, whereas others were so weak that we felt sorry for the people proposing them.

Now imagine that scene again. At the table, instead of the wealthy, mean-faced, sits God. On the other side of the room, instead of the hopefuls with the big ideas for the world of business, stands an emerging church leader.

The question, instead of 'how much will I gain if I back your product?' becomes 'how will your idea glorify Me and tell others about how much I love them?'.

Imagine the sweat beginning to form on the brow of the individual with the emerging church idea. 'Well', they squeak, 'we're going to play tennis and'-

'What?' interjects God. 'Play tennis?'

'In the name of Jesus!' the hotshot pipes up, with an ever-so-slight smile.

A comical image. I'm not saying emerging churches have naff ideas. Some do, but more often than not I've been impressed with the ones I've heard of. IF they are glorifying God and IF they are communicating the gospel to those whom 'church as we know it' is failing to reach, then hallelujah. I believe God is happy with this. I can't see why He wouldn't be at least. But there are some cases where I believe He will not be, such as those instances where there is no clear vision, or the motives are wrong.

Then I started thinking about ACTS Open Mic Church. I don't know what will happen come 20th Feb, but God does, and He is in control. I am at least confident in the vision, as it will happen again, probably not in Sheffield, or at least for a while, but it will. The motives are to welcome people who don't know Jesus and to show them that we as Christians are not weird, do not have a set agenda per se, and to (hopefully) smash stereotypes that are often associated with church. In many ways I am dissatisfied with church as I know it, but moreover than that, and in fact one reason for this, is the fact that people who aren't Christians are subjected to so many things they may not understand, and that seem so strange. I don't want to force anything on anyone, but if the chance arises I will tell anyone about my relationship with Jesus, because it's not religion and it's not empty faith, but it is true hope; true reality. It is my hope that everyone who comes to ACTS OMC on 20th Feb will enjoy themselves as we all experience something new. Whether that is a new style of music, a drink, or even God, remains to be seen. One thing's for sure though. If I was on Dragon's Den for the emerging church, I like to think that ACTS would brush the scrutiny off and remain standing.
:)
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First post of 2008!

2008-01-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

It's been more than a month since my most recent post. In order to continue my contributions to the world of blogging, and also to make your clicking this page worthwhile (if anyone reads this thing!), I felt it right to blog again. I didn't just want to blog again for the sake of blogging though. I wanted to say something really deep, something profound, something with power and meaning. Something intelligent, yet simple. Something to stimulate thought, and to generate a response. Something contoversial perhaps, yet what I know to be the truest thing I know. Something that gives me hope, and which in fact gave me life. And here it is, all that, in these three short words:

JESUS IS LORD.

For more information, please get in touch. If you do not know him personally, I dare you to talk to him, because I know he will answer. Well, what's wrong? Are you afraid of something?!:)
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Christmas Poem

2007-12-01T07:50:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again. It's that month where people go crazy planning and hoping for so many things all to happen on one or several days, then that general emptiness when it's all over. When the food's gone, the drink is no more, the games have been played, songs been sung, the relatives and friends have left, and the tree and decorations have come down. What is it all about? A few years ago I would've simply said 'family fun', 'sharing', or 'loving one another' perhaps. All important, all justified, all well-received. But to be honest, the real meaning of Christmas goes beyond that. I don't care how tacky or cliched this sounds.

Put simply, Jesus is the reason for the season. It is in his death and resurrection that we can experience what real family is, for God the Father calls us His children if we accept Jesus into our lives, and we can also know what real love is, for God, who gave us the capacity to love, saw his only son go to the cross for all of our mistakes. That is real love. Giving presents is not. To be a child of God, wow! We are so unworthy. Love truly came down at Christmas time, and not in the form of a fictional character invented by Coca-Cola, but in the form of Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour to all. His love is the greatest gift of all, and will NOT see parents racking up countless credit card debts! This is something many don't realise though. I think it's time parents stopped lying to their kids and told them the truth, and if they don't know the truth, that we as Christians worldwide step up our seasonal evangelism.

I was walking around Leeds last December doing a bit of last-minute Christmas shopping with my Dad (as us blokes tend to do), and I was wondering where God was in all the busyness and bustle. I'm glad He's always at work, but at times like this, where people refuse to acknowledge Him or have never heard of Jesus, it can be hard to see. This is what I tried to capture in the poem below. Enjoy:)

'Looking for God in Leeds at Christmas'

Chavs kicking pigeons, the afro on the head,
Goths sucking face drinking lattes with nutmeg
The bracelets, the makeup, the hats with the beaks
Do they know you Lord as they pace these streets?
The frowns, the cigarettes, the hoboes with their mags,
The prams, nappies, screams, shoppers laden with bags
Hats, horns, chains, dyes, I-pods, heels, glitter,
The fat men who will no doubt soon resolve to go get fitter,
Kids pointing snot-nosed, mothers barking negatives
Young girls with un-brushed hair, arms full of gifts
Boots, gel, scarves (head and neck), bouncers on the door
Their money buys them lots of things, but still they ask for more
Mulled wine drinkers in the park, mistletoe for sale
A man with balloons he can’t get rid of, mince pies going stale
Wrinkly mutton, lipstick smeared, drooling over lockets
Old men shivering, eyes squinting, hands deep in their pockets
Taxi drivers driving through the centre, nowhere fast
Cheers and wishes from within we know will never last
Bins are bursting, food is wasted, pigeons ask for more
Fathers rush their kids on home to check the final score
Men with clipboards selling things they wouldn’t buy themselves
The greatest gift of all is unobtainable on the shelves
People darting oblivious to those they smack as they pass
The trains are overcrowded, these shoppers shop en mass
Jesus, where are you in this crowd? Do they know you’re there?
You’re being trampled on the ground; they have no time to spare
To listen to the real reason for the time they fill with food
I look to you my Lord and King, and wish that you would move
In these hearts that have been warmed by artificial means
Thousands void of emotion, becoming like machines
And in this bustling metropolis of materialistic lies
A prostitute extends a freezing hand, and you have saved a life

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I Saw the Light

2007-11-18T07:02:00.000-08:00

A friend recently dug this photo out from when we did a play together in May 2006. It struck me as quite fitting that, in the play, I am sitting behind a man-made light, but looking up, as though I've had some sort of divine inspiration and seen light of another kind.

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

-John 12:46.

It was just two months before that date that I'd received Jesus, the light of the world, into my life. It was at the time of the play, two months later, that I felt he was calling me to Bible College, where I am now typing this. I don't know what's next for me, but he is in control. I've always had ideas about what is right for me and my future, but they have never come to fruition. Now though, even though I don't know completely where it's leading, I'm on the right path, both following the Light to wherever he chooses, and also, by God's grace, being a bearer of that light for others to see.

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.

-John 1:5

People know there is something different about us Christians. Before I became a Christian I had all sorts of stereotypes that I would associate with Christians, and I still maintain that many of them are true. But, if we as Jesus' disciples are truly living for him, then I believe it is his light in us that people will notice. If they look beyond the stereotypes and misconceptions, they cannot help but see it. By our abstension from certain things or the way we conduct ourselves in everyday situations-how can they not see the light of Christ? I may have been unwilling to acknowledge it Oli (the guy who eventually led me to Christ), and it was definitely a gradual process, but I knew there was something about him that made him happier than me, and it was more than just having very good morals. It was the light of Christ, and I am so grateful that I now radiate that myself.

When we have the light of Christ in our lives, who can turn away from it? Who can ignore it?Who would want to?

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How not to react

2007-11-17T11:02:00.000-08:00

The 'ACTS' Open Mic Church will happen by the way. It'll be on Weds 20th Feb 2008 in Sheffield. More info on that nearer the time but please check out the following for now: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7103397693

A friend came up to me earlier and said something about something I had done, which turned out to be largely wrong, and I had two choices. I could have corrected them in love, or I could have got defensive and snapped at them. Unfortunately I chose the latter, but I felt it was justified, and so didn't feel guilty about it. Later on, whilst reading my Bible, I came across Acts 21:10-14, which says this:

10After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11Coming over to us, he took Paul's belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, "The Holy Spirit says, 'In this way the Jews of Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.' "
12When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then Paul answered, "Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus." 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

In many ways, hosting the ACTS Open Mic Church will be the most 'out on a limb' for Christ that I have ever been. Granted, I preach and I evangelise where possible, but to something so new, so bold, so unpredictable...this is a step of faith, and I will need complete dependance on the Holy Spirit. From reading Paul's response to Agabus, we see that he is unafraid of dying for Christ so long as God's will is done. Wow. I believe that, in order for me to be completely open to God and thus for His will to be done through me, parts of me will need to die too. Scary? Not at all. I serve a faithful God who knows what's best for me, and surrendering my all to Him is the best thing I could hope to do. So Lord, may your will and not mine be done!

It took my friend (the one I snapped at) to make me realise the above though, and something else. We had arranged earlier on that we would have a Bible study and prayer this evening, which we honoured. He confirmed the above to me, but also made me focus on Paul's reaction. Even though Paul probably could have sensed that what Agabus was saying would come to pass, he didn't get shirty with him. Instead, he said, 'Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.' Hallelujah. Right now I bind myself to God's will in Jesus' name. May His will be done! :)
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POWERFUL!!!!!

2007-11-15T12:59:00.000-08:00

I am indebted to my good friend Mr. Wood for showing me this video. Go on, watch it. I challenge you not to be moved/cry/both.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA
Turns our there's power in interprative dance. But then again, Jesus is involved, so that doesn't surprise me in the slightest!

Enjoy and God bless:)
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Are you ready?

2007-11-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very interesting day for me. In order to raise money for my dissertation project ('ACTS open mic church'-check it out: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7103397693), I did a sponsored blindfold from 8am until bedtime, when it came off whilst I was sleeping at around 4am. That's almost 24 hours of complete darkness! It was inspired by an amazing Christian friend I made in Norway last March. My friend, Karin, has been completely blind since she was four days old, and also has torrettes and bulimia. But you know what? Despite these three (what I would call) disbabilites, she said her biggest disability of all is that she is unable to share her faith with her 'friends', as they would reject her. I may not be in the same position as you but I have experienced that too. Karin is so awesome though. There aren't many who can navigate around snow and ice without the use of a stick!

I was really inspired by Karin, and took to blindfolding myself for 20 hours in order to both raise money and to put myself in her shoes. It was not an easy day, but it was a lot of fun. I didn't walk into walls as much as I thought I would, but I did cut my finger on something, get disorientated a couple of times, habitually turn the light on when visiting the loo and often found that my fork met my lips with nothing on the end of it, but overall it was a great experience. I found I could discern who certain people are just by their breathing and their coughs, and so my hearing, and also my taste buds, seemed to heighten. 'Watching' films and television wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped, but things like atmospheric music at least helped me imagine what was going on. Somebody died on Neighbours, which wouldn't have been any more upsetting for me if I'd seen it, but there you go. In fact, maybe I would have been upset-not by the death, but more like the terrible acting. Anyway, I'm digressing.

A very good friend of mine rang me about midway through my day of darkness and shared a really encouraging scripture with me. It was Isaiah 43:16-21. It talks about God having led Israel through the Red Sea and the wilderness. It talks about our need to forget the things of the past, because GOD IS DOING A NEW THING. Since September, I've heard this passage used at least four times, by different people and on separate occasions. Coincedence? Perhaps. But there is of course the possibility that what the Bible says is true, and this time we are in now is crucial to what God is doing in this nation. Change is certainly in the air. Thinking about it, if we are Christians, God has already brought us out of slavery and made a way for us to live His way, so this passage is relevant to us all, but looking a little deeper, there is more to be thankful for and excited about.

Rob Frost, a world-famous evangelist and the founder of 'Share Jesus International', passed away a few days ago. For his family and those who knew him, his loss is very sad, but not of course when we consider where he is now. The work he did in furthering God's Kingdom can be known only by God, for it is not humanly possible to tell. He was a MIGHTY man of God, and God used him to do amazing things. There can be no doubting the success of his life's work, in the many different forms it took. But God is doing a new thing. Change is in the air. As God's mission, and in which the work of Share Jesus continues, so does the call to evangelism for every Christian.

At Cliff we are in the process of appointing a new principal. This is a really important time for the college and will have a big impact on how things are done here, including how we evangelise. Change is in the air. In the passage (verse 18) we are told to forget the former things, because...change is in the air. God is doing something new! Perhaps Share Jesus will continue to do things the same way as before. Perhaps we at Cliff will continue to conduct our mission work as before. Perhaps the Methodist Church (for example) will largely continue to stagnate. Perhaps the millions in this nation who are currently not being reached by the Word of God will continue to go unreached. Or maybe...just maybe...God really is doing something new.

I believe we are living in the end times. I believe in a God who has the power to raise the dead, and whose son Jesus actually did that. I believe that through his death, every single person can know what life really is, and if they believe in him can have a relationship with God. I believe the message of the Christian gospel is for everyone to hear. I believe I am privileged to have the opportunity to share it. I believe God IS doing something new, and whether we are young or old, blind or ably-sighted, black, white, rich, poor, or whatever or whoever we are, we all have a chance, by the grace of God, to proclaim His praise (verse 21) and see Him glorified in this nation. I believe now is the time of the Lord's favour. I believe that his light is going to shine so brightly in the darkness that all will see it, and will be forced to react to it. I believe the living God will not be ignored or unheard for much longer. I believe Jesus is coming back soon. The question is, are we ready for that? Am I ready for that? Are YOU ready for that?

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Humble in defeat

2007-10-17T12:08:00.000-07:00

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
-Luke 14:11

The above words of Scripture currently strike me as very fitting. I was playing football this afternoon in Nottingham-
St. Johns of Nottingham vs. Cliff College Cougars

We played them three times last year and won on each occasion, so it has to be said that we were feeling confident entering this game. Something was very wrong with this 'Oh, it'll be a walkover' mindset, as I came to learn. I was probably the most guilty offender in terms of complacency and confidence, which I soon discovered were not characteristics becoming of a child of God.

After a match in which I was confident we would win, the final score was 3-2 in favour of St. Johns. Fair play, for we deserved to lose. But other things must be taken into account. I gave away a penalty from a defensive handball in our area (which they scored from), and I also became a different person when false handball claims were made and heavy challenges clattered into me later on. I am so very ashamed of my conduct, for I never swore or reacted violently in the heat of things but I may as well have done. In-team bickering and finger-pointing isn't something I like to do, but I was certainyl guilty of the former. All in all I accept the result but am disgusted with my own conduct on the pitch, and the attitude with which I entered the game.

I thank the Lord that he has taught me an important lesson this day. In many ways I was exalting myself, and the team, without considering the consequences. I am grateful that he teaches us important things through little things like football. I was a fool to make it, and us, bigger than we really are, and have left the field a changed (if disappointed) person. Praise be to the Lord most high for his infininite wisdom, and that he chooses to impass important snippets of it onto fools such as myself.

In Jesus name I'll be ready for St. Johns next time-in mind and spirit if nothing else!
God bless;)
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'Preacher'- a poem

2007-10-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I just came across a poem I would like to share. I wrote it around this time last year after my Mum had preached at a church on our circuit. There was a moment when she stepped aside from the lectern, leaving her notes and everything she had prepared behind. This is when the Holy Spirit completely took over, evidenced both by her eyes and, more strikingly, her voice, which went considerably lower. The words she spoke were not her own, but the Lord's. I don't believe that effectively capturing an experience as mighty and anointed as that is humanly possible, but here is my attempt:

Preacher

Another battle rages.
Tired verbs, blunt adjectives;
Armour
C r u m b l i n g.

Tears are falling now.
Blood is shed (upstairs).

I know you are here.
Come on in! Do your stuff.
You are taking over
I am a mouthpiece
I am your mouthpiece.
I leave the lectern.

Octave lower, earnest plea

Turn the handle!
Receive the goodness.

Please.

I hope this poem blesses any preacher who is reading this, in that, even though we may not always feel that we have preached the right sermon or gone about it in the right way-even if we think it hasn't spoken to anybody, the Holy Spirit is always at work, and people see Jesus in us if only we are willing to allow! Aah, complete openness to the Holy Spirit's work and to God's will, that is my prayer, for my life, for Cliff College, for this nation, for the world!!! Can I get an amen?!:)
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New Facebook Group

2007-10-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this and you are on Facebook, feel free to check out (and join) the following group:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5455413564

It's really important that residents, supporters etc. of Cliff College commit time in prayer to who the next principal will be. It's a role with so many demands and responsibilities, and it's easy to think we know who will be good in the role but ultimately God is the only one who truly knows (to Him be the glory!), and may His will be done.

Amen:)
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P.S. Anyone can become an admin/officer or anything like that. Even if no one joins the group but it encourages people to pray, then 'mission accomplished!'

Open Mic Church?

2007-10-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm at that time where I need to start thinking seriously about my dissertation. As an open mic enthusiast with a heart for evangelism, I'm trying to link the two together and am beginning to formulate my title, but in the project itself I intend to explore how 'open mic churches' in secular settings may help the gospel spread to many who are instantly turned off by the word 'church', and wouldn't ever dream of entering one. The subculture I believe such churches would attract is yet to be defined, as most of my ideas are still in their early stages, but if I could be forgiven for stereotyping, they would primarily be a people in their late teens/early twenties with gifts of, or at least an appreciation for, an artistic/creative nature, i.e. poets, musicians, etc.

As I am really keen to get this project officially off the ground, I would appreciate any help I could be offered in terms of suggestions for how an open mic church would work, what you may expect to happen there should you attend one, and so on. Literally, ANYTHING to do with the concept of 'open mich church' would help me. Art is a subjective thing, and there is no right or wrong here either. If I do proceed with this project and anything you say has helped me, I will also show my appreciation by crediting you in the acknowledgments section (should this be any sway!)

Paul, in Romans 12:6-8 among other places, encourages those with specific gifts to make use of them. An open mic church would celebrate every God-given gift that the attendees/congregants are willing to offer. Potentially non-Christians would be encouraged to use their gifts, whether they be musical or whatever, and as it strikes me that there are many Christians already in churches who don't get the chance to use their gifts in church and whose gifts are often forgotten or go unnoticed, this would be their chance too. It may sound like the project has emerging church leanings, which is true, but the primary focus would be evangelism. If non-Christians can't see Jesus in the words or actions of the Christians at the church, opportunities for relational evangelism would theoretically be plentiful. Perhaps the songs/poems etc. the Christian individual uses to praise God may lead to questions being asked about their faith, and we can't hope for a better opportunity than that!

Any ideas or suggestions about open mic church i.e. should there be a compere, is a pub a suitable setting, which rules/guidelines would need to be established (i.e. would drinking be allowed) and so on, even helping me settle on a name for the aforementioned subculture (if there is one) would be most welcome.

God bless you in your reading, and hopefully in your response,
Matt:)
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Football Church

2007-10-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

I was at a football match at the weekend and after the match I came away with an overwhelming sense that football stadiums are churches. There is definitely a spirituality about the whole experience of going to a match to actively support a team, which I will delve into now, with the following observations:

-In the club shop was a T-shirt with the slogan: ‘Football is not a matter of life and death. It is much more important than that’. It struck me that, for many, this is sadly a very real outlook!

-People arrive early, sit often in set seats
(To soak up atmosphere/experience excitement before main event/converse with friends who sit near them-similar to church?)

-Where they worship their god (football) and gods (players) and doubt them when things aren’t going as they hope, which Christians do with the real God!

-Fans sing songs of adoration and sometimes even pray over the result

-Parents teach their children how to chant as they would to sing worship songs

-Supporters dancing and being really vocal in their praise. This behaviour is almost expected, yet would be frowned upon in many churches!

-One pitch-side advertisement read ‘Football unites. Racism divides.’ Yet there was so much division between the fans that day, to the point of verbal abuse and even violence.

-Programmes are Bibles? They are certainly read by fans looking to be educated, stimulated, encouraged and informed among other things, which are some of many of the functions the Word of God performs.

-It is easily possible to feel out of depth or ‘at home’ in that kind of environment, depending on whether the individual is used to the experience or not, which is not unlike church

-Supporters shout at/talk to their gods who often can’t even hear them, and certainly can’t always alter their circumstances, whereas Christians in church do so to a God who both can and does!

-One player on the team I was supporting looked like the stereotypical image people have of Jesus. ‘Jesus! Jesus!’ the fans chanted. It was truly awesome to chant along with them. Celebrating the name of Jesus at a football game with such excitement and praise was a rare joy for me. Granted, the fans weren’t chanting for the Jesus I know, but I wonder what it would take for them to be doing so. How to evangelise the hardcore away supporter who often lives for football and their team is something that really interests me.

I’d be interested to hear what you make of these musings-whether they can be added to, expanded upon, or even challenged, especially the last one. God bless.
:)