Sometimes things just need to be shared. This poem by Stewart Henderson is beautiful and sad. It's worth pausing and reflecting on. Land of Milk and Honey Is this the land of milk and honey,the one for which this city gaveconscripted youth to war’s dark waters,woodbine battalions of the brave? This city of abandoned vehicles,bankrupt … Continue reading Land of Milk and Honey
The Broken Church
A Vision for Church: Liberating
About six months after my wife and I married I was diagnosed with depression. I have been known to make the rather obvious joke about the cause of my depression being married life, in reality this couldn't be further from the truth. I likely suffered with depression for years before I ever met my wife. … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Liberating
A Vision for Church: Repentant
Part of my training to become a pastor involved completing a theology degree. In addition to those elements of the course that focussed on academic study and essay writing we would also complete sessions to help us consider and prepare for the more practical aspects of ministry. There would be sessions looking at funerals and … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Repentant
A Vision for Church: Prophetic
I will admit I can find it somewhat pretentious to talk about the prophetic. I think it comes from the experience of preachers claiming to be prophetic, having prophecies or claiming a title of Prophet and making bold claims that God is speaking to them about specific issues of the future. Frequently these claims are … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Prophetic
A Vision for Church: Body
Gifted, Diverse, Fragile, Disabled and Scarred Gifted Body It is fairly common to refer to the church as a body. This stems from the writing in the New Testament attributed to Paul which refers to the church as the 'body of Christ' (Ephesians 4:12). Paul's use of the body as analogy for the church refers … Continue reading A Vision for Church: Body
A Vision for Church
I recently asked members of my church what they would include if they were to take on the task of starting a new church. Granted I asked at a time that included children but the answers became increasingly eclectic, but included... A Choir and Music GroupTiered SeatingLarge ScreenA Good Sound SystemCafe (for people to access … Continue reading A Vision for Church
Church Business
I have been reflecting on what I saw and experienced in Zimbabwe, the physiological, political and financial needs, the church, the business, the searching for a saviour and the reflections I see in the UK. My reflections bring me to the theme of water. What concerns me is the church has become reliant on models of delivering sanitised spirituality through a Victorian system or a bottled version with exaggerated promises.
It’s Been One Week
One week I am waking up wondering about the safety of a journey across Harare to the airport, the next I am taking my kids to school then heading towards the Houses of Parliament. One week I have no internet due to the Zimbabwe government shutting it down, the next I have easy access to high speed broadband and 4G wherever I go. One week I am in glorious sunshine the next I am wondering if the snow might settle or if it will just blow around a do nothing.
Home and Home Sick
Strangely, as the day begins with such a precious moment it is also the day I feel most home sick. I am comfortable, safe, back amongst all my creature comforts and more precious loved one. Yet I have the feelings of homesickness, a longing to be back in Zimbabwe.
In Search of Salvation
As a team of mostly white European Christian’s we rely on our money, tablets, bottled water, lotions, potions, phones, wifi, we don't rely on God. We rely on our intellect to win the game of politics of church power and control. We rely on safe foods, hand sanitizer, ability to bride, insurance, contacts in high places ... who is our God?
The Broken Church 