Triangles

Funny how people say things come in threes. I'm in 2 Timothy, enjoying Paul's encouragement of the guy until I get to verse 8. Paul wants Timothy to join him in suffering.

Hmm, the encouragement is starting to run a bit thin.

Ah, but its okay, it is to be done in the power of God...

But its a bit unclear. Is the power of God to help us once we are suffering, or is it actually leading to the suffering? You see the whole thing is connected in v9 with our salvation, and that salvation is 'by His purpose and grace', not just an accident.

The salvation and the purpose seem tightly connected, but so does the suffering.

So it seems that there is some kind of salvation/purpose/suffering triangle going on here - the three come together.

Want to take mission seriously? Better get to grips with all three aspects.

One by One

Martin Batstone makes a plea for church leaders to look, listen and discern the practical needs of people in their local communities, seeking to serve the lost, damaged and vulnerable as valid work in the Kingdom manifesto of Lk 4:16-21.

A key point made by Martin is that whilst we should certain long for conversion and discipleship, we should serve without expecting or demanding it. As a minister in a charity himself, he prefers to concentrate on individuals one by one rather than trying to play a numbers game.

I think he makes a good point. He is not arguing for a purely social gospel or liberal approach. Surely it is just part of the principle 'seek first the Kingdom, and the rest will be added'?

The problem out there is the sea (ocean) of need - where would one start. How do we balance resources. Thats where discernment is needed as ever, making it most certainly a spiritual exercise rather than a merely practical one or a task of human endeavor.