Calling all Reform Voters

In the press recently are reports of Reform voters (or would-be voters) and others with nationalist convictions or politically 'far right' views turning to the church. Some may even be making some steps to enquire about the Christian faith, or feel they are 'returning' to the faith of the parents / grand-parents. Articles like this one report on the dilemmas and apparent contradictions that this raises for church leaders.

 

Not surprisingly this has raised a few eyebrows, but from a mission perspective I would argue: 'business as usual'! The reality is that at any time people might start looking towards church and/or faith for a whole variety of reasons ... and they will bring their baggage with them. This is normal!

The challenge in working with anyone new or a person who randomly just turns up, is to offer welcome and Christ-like friendship. That will not mean simply appeasing them and their views, nor will it mean simply assimilating them into your church congregation or group ... because to be Christ-like is not to simply accumulate bums on seats. Instead it will mean journeying with them as best as you can, and will include listening to them along with their views. That listening will hopefully go deeper, discerning what for lies behind those views for this person.

In parallel with this activity, it will mean lovingly and confidently asserting the gospel of Jesus over and over, snippet by snippet. That will inevitably highlight sooner or later the way of Jesus with its summaries of 'Love God and Love your neighbour as yourself'. That way of course reveals God who has a bias to the poor, the underdog, the refugee, those at the margins ... regardless of race or country of origin.

Of course it is these very same gospel foundations that have led to the principles on which our 'Christian-based society' or 'Christian-based country' are founded! They underpin our laws and the freedoms that nationalists think they want to protect. And they underpin our historic welcome and sense of duty to asylum seekers, forming the basis of international treaties that our country helped author and signed up to.

Some might find that surprising ... and when spelt out they might even find it offensive. Paul writes that we are the aroma of Christ, but for some it is like a bad odour (see 2 Corinthians chapter 2)! But just because some will find it offensive, we should not shy away from or hold back the true gospel of Jesus - that ultimately Jesus is Lord and not our political leaders, that it is Jesus we follow and not the ideas of political leaders that we find appealing.

We need not assert these truths in an argumentative or forced fashion, but ultimately there are surely 'way-posts' along the journey with someone where we need to be clear on choices to be made. Those choices are essentially between opening hearts to let God transform our priorities and thinking (Paul writes this as 'renewing of our minds' in Romans 12), and the choice to continue with hard hearts with all its 'othering' of different people groups and the attitudes (and political policies) that arise from such a choice.

Traitors - Our Calling to Reality

Last week the final of Celebrity Traitors was aired on TV and drew large audiences not amassed for a long time in British TV. The clever dynamics of the game had many of us hooked, and it proved to be high drama with suspense right until the final reveal.

The winner Alan Carr did an excellent job of being a "wolf in sheep's clothing" until the very end!

In our culture today the question of discerning what is 'true' from that which is 'false' or fake becomes ever more pressing. But we also have to admit that we all wear masks or present an edited version of ourselves to people around us to varying degrees. We are longing for people we meet to be genuine and real, but that can often seem elusive.

As followers of Jesus, sent into the world to point to Jesus and His Kingdom, we are surely called to stand out in the crowd as genuine and real. Jesus said the light should not be hidden under a bucket, and lamented the possibility of salt no longer being salty. If we hide or obscure the reality of who we are in Christ, are we not hiding under a bucket or losing our salty distinctiveness?

The call to follow Jesus is a call to learn to be open about who we are in Him. Not in an insensitive overbearing way - but being up front about what motivates and drives us: our faith in the risen Lord Jesus.

The love of Christ compels us, because in Him is the ultimate Truth that enables all things ultimately to hang together. We therefore live clear and truthful lives now, showing the reality now of a life lived in Christ, knowing (and motivated by) a greater reality that is to come. Paul summed this up in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 where he writes extensively about the resurrection, and the reality of a physical / bodily resurrection for us all, as witnessed first in Christ. Paul is set and clear about this reality, and says (verse 19) that if this is wrong, then he and all other Christ followers are the 'most to be pitied' ... because in that case the final reveal will not turn out as he has been saying!

Traitors on TV is of course just a game. But everyday life for all of us brings the same complexities that the contestants faced - with each of us having to work out what (and who) is true. As Christ followers, help others discover the ultimate Truth by being open, genuine and real about your faith in Him.

Taking Our Country Back is Not Christian

Sadly the national narrative of dis-content is growing stronger, with strong voices of anti-immigration and nationalism behind a megaphone. Worryingly, among the demonstrations seems to be a politically-right leaning Christian nationalism that is also becoming louder and more prominent. Characterised by St George flags with Christian or Bible quotes added, or by demonstrators holding upright large wooden crosses, or other placards with Bible quotes, the message seems to be something like: "Take our country back to being Christian again".

Worse is when language such as 'conquer', or even worse (evoking the St George cross) language of 'crusade' seems to be re-emerging.

The Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed ...

As followers of Jesus trying our best to bear testimony to Jesus as Lord on a daily basis, I am convinced this rising tide of "Christian nationalism" is outright unhelpful. It harks back to a Christendom/conquer mindset ... which is NOT the Gospel. Jesus spoke of (and demonstrated) a completely different kind of Kingdom which, put simply, is not of this world, i.e. not about nation conquering, using any kind of earthly force or coercion. His Kingdom is characterised by righteousness, peace and joy (Romans 14:17) emerging from the love of God and His forgiveness and restoration. It starts with a tiny seed, which slowly grows ...

With so much noise out there, we have to carefully yet clearly up our game ... pointing people to the true Jesus alternative that starts with welcoming the stranger, being hosted by people quite different to us, and explaining/demonstrating the true nature of Jesus and His Kingdom. Our work is cut out for us ... being quiet is not an option.

Personality Cults

Personality Cults are nothing new - history is littered with them. Their folly, associated tunnel vision, and inappropriate adulation are all well captured by the 'Emperor Has No Clothes' fable. In today's culture, with bigger physical platforms multiplied by online platforms, the problem is ever more acute.

Sadly the Christian faith has its own sordid litany of cults led by personalities who have done unimaginable harm to those caught into their spheres of influence.

But in our current day we have an additional development that should surely concern us: the apparent rise of the Western Political Personality Cult. Again political personality cults are not new - Roman Emperor's claimed 'God status' for themselves, as effectively does a leader today in a Far Eastern dynasty cult. What is surprising is the apparent emergence of such cults in Western countries that, until quite recently, were considered to be stable Western democracies.

The true ministry of the gospel is as far away from all this as the East is from the West. It is to clearly but calmly continue to preach Jesus is Lord. For that we do not need any kind of platform, or a well-oiled social media machine. Instead we just need to be faithful and clear in our witness to whoever we find in front of us.

Paul gave wisdom to Timothy when he wrote:

preach the word ... for the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather round them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear - turning away from truth to myths.

[2 Timothy 4: 2 - 4]

Whilst we might find them surprising, abhorrent, and truly concerning, our call is not to try to other-throw such cults (God has that on His job description ...). Instead it is to continue to preach Jesus ('preach the word'), with great patience and endurance. That is to discharge our duties of ministry (verse 5). These cults will rise and fall - perhaps the bigger the platform the bigger the crash! But meanwhile and whatever, we point to the True King.

In the Potters Hands

Our Western culture tells us that each of us can be 'whatever we want to be'. Decide your goal and go for it! There are positives to this philosophy, but it risks leaving God out of the equation, and assumes everything is in our hands.

Jeremiah, in chapter 18, is instructed to go down to the Potter's House for a touch of prophecy through watching an artisan! The potter shapes the pot, and on discovering a defect goes on to re-shape it. God speaks to Jeremiah about the shaping of not just individuals, but whole nations.

Jeremiah learns that God can both shape and 'un-shape' nations as per His choosing - they are each like clay in His hands. So far this is not so surprising. But Jeremiah is also told that God's shaping/un-shaping plans can change, depending on a nation's response to God's announcements. Just as the potter can change approach, or re-shape part way through ... God can adjust depending on the people's response. The surrounding chapters of Jeremiah make clear that 'the response' includes their belief, loyalty to His covenant, and implementing God's compassion and justice.

Today at the national level we see nations arrogantly pursue their own agendas to shape and re-shape the governance of other lands and peoples as if they had some God-given right to be the potter. History repeats itself as a people-group of one nation - themselves once oppressed - are now led by a government that becomes oppressor towards others, propagating mass injustices. We watch with bewilderment as these atrocities unfold, wondering why God seems to be allowing such horror to play out for so long.

Dear God - just how are you shaping/un-shaping through these current times?

But the 'response' comes down to individuals - and which path they will take (Jeremiah 18:15). Do we choose a path - an ancient path of humble faith - that let's God shape us towards who we can be? Recognising that our life is in His hands, we can venture forward with ambition ... but an ambition that is subject to His shaping and re-shaping.

Meet Your Neighbours

Recently we were catching up with some friends and talking about settling in to the neighbourhood where we are living and ministering. Our friends remarked at how many neighbours we had met, and the fact that we already knew their names.

For us getting to know our neighbours is a fundamental aspect of our ministry, and we are intentionally pro-active about it. Yet the conversation got us thinking: why is it 'typical' for people to inhabit a dwelling but not meet or know their neighbours, even those just a door or two away? And why do Christ followers seem to accept this status quo for themselves? Of course we can say that this is just a 'British' phenomenon, or the outworking of an increasingly individualistic society ... but with every Christ follower an ambassador for Christ should we as Christians simply be the same? Are we not called to be different?

To be different is going to take some effort, however. That effort might be summarised as follows:

1. Be intentional - backed by prayer. Start by simply praying for openings, and pray blessing for the neighbours anyway. Then look for opportunities, and even if natural opportunities don't arise be ready to take initiative.
2. Make the effort to knock on the neighbour's door, or divert across to them if you see them on the street. Of course you cannot guarantee you will be well received, but you can still and try offer friendship.
3. Go ahead and break the ice! Introduce yourself, and ask for their name. In any case express welcome.

For us being new to the neighbourhood, the 'newness' affords opportunity. The natural fear for most people is that the more time has passed, the more awkward it is. If time has passed, then a little ingenuity might be required ... which basically means inventing an excuse to knock on their door! Using a festival or seasonal event can work, taking some chocolates or other simple treat as part of the seasons greetings. Any which way it still requires praying, the intentionality, the effort, and the willingness to go ahead and ring the bell in the hope of breaking the ice.

None of this guarantees becoming great friends, or being able to share faith, or anything like that. Yet it does communicate that you are there, and that you are there for them. That is surely among the most basic of building blocks for community, the most basic layer of salt, and is a step to live contrarian to an individualistic society that isolates and compartmentalises to everyone's detriment.

Acts 16 - A lesson in Pioneering

In Acts 16 Paul travels into Greece, making his way quickly to Philippi where he then embarks on witnessing locally. This results in the conversion of Lydia, the baptism of her household, and her house becoming a base for the ongoing local mission.

Paul has a strategic head. He apparently skips Samothrace and Neapolis in order to reach the key city of Philippi. Yet remember that his original strategy was to turn back into Asia, until interrupted by the 'Macedonian Call'. Strategies are good, but we should continually put them before the Lord and allow the Spirit to interrupt us!

Once in Philippi he and his small team go to a place that they have heard is a place of prayer: presumably Philippi has no formal synagogue and on asking around they hear of this place where people gather. It is instructive for us to note how in each place Paul initially heads for where there is already some kind of (monotheistic) faith. Perhaps in his mind he figures that this is the best place to get started since people will already have a notion of seeking God, and a knowledge of God's promises. Paul is looking for people to join the cause of Christ, and in this way he looks for 'low hanging fruit' first of all. He does this expectantly, underpinned by that call of the Spirit that took him across the water to Greece.

At the place of prayer they discover Lydia and get into conversation. We are told that "the Lord opened her heart to Paul's message". This hits on another principle - that the Spirit is ahead of us, preparing people so that they are ready and open. Fundamentally we can be as slick in our conversation as we like, but unless the Spirit is at work we will see little movement.

Things then appear to move rapidly. Perhaps it was all 'same day', perhaps Luke has truncated the story. Either way Lydia invites the team to use her house which apparently becomes a base for the ongoing work. She does this with the words 'if you consider me a believer in the Lord', in other words 'do I qualify?'. Culturally she had the disadvantages of being both a woman and likely Gentile background - but in God's eyes they answer is a resounding 'yes'! Paul and the team have the wisdom to go with what God is doing rather than being boxed in by their own cultural assumptions, and so the base is established. 

As we pioneer, looking to bring gospel witness across an area, it is therefore worth keeping in mind:

• The original sense of Spirit given call
• Being strategic in method and yet submitting that to God's ongoing direction & re-direction
• Asking around for a sense of what is already there to be found 
• Looking for people who are already seeking, who are open, and in whom the Spirit is already working
• If newcomers are moved to do so, letting them host the base for the next phase of work 

Paul is strategic and methodical, but it depends on following the call of the Spirit and joining with the work of the Spirit for progress to be made.

The True King

Recently it was Ascension Day - when Christians remember the moment the disciples had their last resurrection encounter with Jesus. From this point 'he was taken up' and disappeared from their sight.

It is easy to just focus on quaint images of the risen Christ somehow floating up into the sky, eventually disappearing behind the clouds and saying 'that is Ascension'. Maybe it physically happened exactly that way, maybe it didn't - but either way there is more to it than that!

Through the cross, resurrection, and subsequent ascension Jesus was moving into his true and rightful place - as the Sovereign King of the whole earth, with all principalities and powers to be under Him. The physical ascension is therefore the final scene of the whole 'Ascent to Title' drama. It is the completing moment in a sequence from which springs the glorious message to the world: "There is a new King on the throne!".

The writer of Hebrews captures this key theological concept in chapter 1 verse 3: "... he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven".  

The apostles and initial believers who clung together immediately after his death and resurrection were given the task of 'sent messengers', to be witnesses to this new King (Acts chapter 1). They were to take the message far and wide (across the Roman empire and beyond) that there is this new King. The language used throughout the New Testament exactly matches the Greek/Roman language for announcing the crowning of a new king or emperor across the conquered lands. It is the root of the word 'evangelist' ('evangelion') - the one who brings the good news of the new rightful ruler.

Ascension is therefore not merely a somewhat romantic notion of the physical Jesus disappearing from view - it is a geo-political statement of cosmic proportions. All our witness to the world (in whatever form) stems from this new reality. It is good news, with good news ramifications for all the world down through the ages, today, and for ever.

Re-set and Re-run

Recently we moved house - staying in the same overall area, but moving from one block to another about ten minutes walk away. Naturally amongst the upheaval it has been hard to maintain normal rhythms and the prayer focus for neighbours that we have had over the past 22 months.

Our original near neighbours are not that far away, but now we have new near neighbours to meet, bless and pray for! Therefore part of emerging from the chaos of moving house has involved a kind of 're-set and re-run' of our intentional prayer & incarnational living dynamic. It has meant starting afresh:

• meeting & discovering people who live close by. This includes meeting people who will live close by - their house is not finished yet so they will be moving here in weeks to come
• walking around the area prayerfully, being open to notice and pay attention to whatever we might see
• starting to map out who is who, and put names of neighbours on paper slips so we can pray for them from time to time
• praying into and working out how to make diary space to be able to meet up and get to know neighbours better

We are just getting this re-set going, but it serves as a good reminder of the basic rhythms & practices of incarnational living - the desire to live among and minister to whoever is around us, seeking the Spirit's lead and unfolding.

A key difference to last time is that being in the same area, we already have a diary of community activities that we are plugged into and serving among, and we have a whole number of contacts and people we are working with (accumulated from the last 22 months of mission activity). In that sense we are not totally starting again from scratch, so we could easily devote our energy and focus to maintaining those good good efforts. But the personal calling we feel is to intentionally make space and time for our nearest neighbours: so the re-set and re-run of the basic practices listed above warrant our attention and priority.

The Great Pardoner

A feature of the US presidential handover last January was a flurry of pardons. Biden proactively pardoned those closest to him, and Trump pardoned people with well documented crimes of riot. Naturally there was much debate about the appropriateness of both sets of pardons, and the precedents they set.

In the week of Easter we have an episode of huge injustice, sentencing, punishment, and then vindication - all happening to Jesus. As Christians we understand that this brings and even bigger deal of pardon - so big that it's scale can extend to all humanity, can apply retroactively to sins & people past, and also proactively to sins & people future. It really is the Great Pardon, from Jesus the Great Pardoner.

An interesting aspect of some of the Biden pardons were that they covered future crimes not yet committed - a kind of ultimate speculative insurance policy. That has a curious parallel with the pardon we receive through the death of Jesus on the cross. When we as Christians repent and believe, we typically are sorry for sins past and are grateful for His forgiveness. Yet the reality is that we will sin again, of course. Thankfully, the pardon of Jesus covers those future wrongdoings ... at least on the assumption that we remain in Christ.

The pardon of Jesus is not of course license for us to live however we choose (and I don't think Biden intended that for those he pardoned either), but rather a covering for fallen broken lives. Our shame for previous wrong-doing is removed, enabling us to venture forward in life with heads held high - to do our best to follow Him in His ways. We will not be perfect, but in remaining in Him there is already pardon granted for future failures on our part.

Destination is not Guaranteed

A feature of working with people through a series of Discovery Bible Studies to help them journey towards seeing Jesus and putting their faith in Him, is that there is no guarantee of reaching the desired destination. That destination - for each individual - is them embarking on a life-time following Jesus, finding their own momentum to keep going long after your sessions have stopped. The fact that we have to face is that whatever our best efforts, people may drop out, change direction, or drift away for a whole host of reasons.

We have to give people the freedom and space to do that, since the series of studies are intended to enable someone to discover for themselves - at their pace and readiness. To not give that freedom would mean that ultimately people are not making their own spiritual-heart choice to trust Jesus and follow Him as Lord.

Reassuringly for us, Jesus had to face the same issue. At the end of John chapter 6 a number of 'disciples' were finding his teaching too hard (verse 60), and some turned back and no longer followed (verse 66). Jesus apparently let them go, wondering if even the twelve might reverse direction. Remember also subsequent visits to his home town discovering a lack of belief despite all the healings and miracles in previous visits.

When we try to sit down with people to do such studies, we are praying and looking for those who seem to be open in the first place. That is not an exact science, unless the Spirit graciously gives spiritual discernment or words of knowledge! People who appear open may turn out to be less so, and even those who are more genuinely open can still change direction - much to our frustration. Yet this goes with the territory, and is an occupational hazard as part of the work.

Our role, through it all, is to continue to give opportunities for people to discover Jesus as best as we can, and to be faithful to that endeavour.

Do Not Fret

Psalm 37 verse 1 reads "Do not fret because of those who are evil ..." and exhorts the hearer to trust God even as threat and wickedness swirl around in ever greater measure.

Such words are poignant for our times, as the phenomena some theologians are calling 'The Great Unravelling' plays out at different levels. Many of our established Western churches find themselves facing difficulties, even closure, because their congregation numbers (and cash income) continue to fall away - the existing ways of being church no longer working for them. Also at the international political level we are now living into an unravelling of a world order that we assumed secure from the outcomes of the 2nd World War. We now have Western nations openly advocating policies of mass ethnic cleansing (rather than just quietly funding oppressive actions away from the public gaze) and apparently gearing their responses in ways that align with indicted war criminals of foreign oppressive regimes.

As followers of Christ, we have to re-ask ourselves "Where do we find our security? In whom do we put our trust?". In the past we might have doctrinally declared trust in God through Jesus Christ, yet in practice trusted in our Western nation national and international structures. That must now change! Clearly nations of whatever status cannot be trusted ... the only entity truly trust-worthy is God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Great Unravelling may make you feel quite alone and highly vulnerable. You may well be asking yourself 'Can I make a difference?'. Remember Jesus talked of His Kingdom - a different kind of Kingdom, one unlike any earthly nation state, regime or empire. He described it as the mustard seed, the tiniest of seeds ... that planted in the ground and grew ... continuing to grow ... eventually into a very large bush (or tree) which provided a place of shelter for birds etc. to come under its shade.

There is our clue! "Lord Jesus start with me - may I be firmly planted as your Kingdom agent". Yes the world is literally falling apart all around us, be it established churches, governments, nations and whole international systems ...

But the Kingdom of God will prevail, so do not fret in the midst of all the evil!

Bow the Knee

In the whirlwind of political scenes witnessed in the last couple of weeks, one event was the head of Meta announcing new vetting policies and approaches for posts on the social media platforms operated by that company. As this was reported in the media, one of the lines that struck me was: 'Zuckerberg bows the knee to Trump'. This went hand in hand with many headlines and articles caricaturing Trump as the un-rivalled king of America (and perhaps in his mind other countries too!).

This description of 'bowing the knee' sums it up nicely. In the final analysis who do we bow the knee too? The world will have its leaders, pretend leaders, and outright tyrants ... all of whom will demand allegiance. We can probably also say that the greater the 'tyrant-ness', the greater the insistence for total allegiance!

Bowing the knee to these leaders is the same as handing them the keys to your life, how it is to be lived, the decisions you will make and so forth.  You may still have clear ideas on 'the right thing to do ...', but these will be compromised in practice by this allegiance.

The Christian realises that these human leaders, regardless of whether we like their politics or not, are not the ones to bow the knee too. We might respect the position they are in, but they cannot command our total allegiance. That is because the Christian realises that these people are at best provisional, and the real Kingdom work (and thus the potential for improving society 'in the now') ultimately flows as a consequence of individuals committing their allegiance to Christ.

Allegiance to Christ also declares at levels above human authorities - to the principalities and powers (Ephesians 6:12). It announces that the horribly subverted human rule (represented by Adam after the fall) no longer commands allegiance from all people. Instead the real King is now enthroned - Jesus is Lord! To Jesus the real King we willingly bow the knee, and we will bow the knee to no other.

Uniformity vs The Work of the Spirit

As you read Deuteronomy you can't help thinking that God is calling for both absolute unity and uniformity in worship. The people are to come to the place God will choose for their sacrifices rather than any old high place. They are to interact with the Levitical priests who will perform the key worship elements on their behalf. It is all to be tightly regulated.

Compared to the time in which we now live, this seems rather strange. Jesus commissioned his disciples (us) to scatter outwards, leading people to Jesus (and thus worship) wherever they went. Movement organisations flourish when disciples make disciples wherever they are, birthing diverse networks of micro-churches that have different expressions, a multitude of practices, and probably variations in their precise theologies.

Has God somehow changed between the time of Deuteronomy and the time of Jesus onwards? Has He changed His mind, or come up with a fresh plan B? How do we reconcile what appears to be exact opposites?

Of course Deuteronomy is concerned with the formation of the people Israel, whereas with Jesus it is the global Kingdom. The first might be characterised by law, whereas the second is characterised by grace ... but these understandings, though valid, still leave us with questions about the nature of God then compared to now.

It seems to me a key difference that helps explain is the giving of the Spirit. Back in the time of Deuteronomy the Spirit was active, but seemed to be on specific people (and perhaps also for specific purposes). The cosmic disruption of Jesus opened the way for the liberal outpouring of the Spirit. That outpouring enables a multitude of individual believers to know directly what God requires (see Jeremiah 31:31 - 34).

Without the outpouring of the Spirit a high degree of human-system-control is required - keeping everyone on track, avoiding wandering off back into false belief. The restrictions of one central place, Levitical procedures etc. effect all this. With the outpouring of the Spirit a wide variety of individuals (and small groups) can be led and remain in the Godly (Jesus) Way without requiring such systems ... if people grow in direct obedience to Jesus, i.e. to the leading of the out-poured Spirit. A variety and diversity is now possible, because the unity lies in obedience to Christ.

In such conditions the need for law evaporates, since Godly order is now being restored (akin to before the Fall). Grace was always there at the beginning, but Law was temporarily necessary for such a large social system (i.e. a nation of people). Now with the Spirit, the social system can multiply and diversify infinitely as long as unity of the Spirit is maintained, i.e. people living in obedience and operating in the work of the Spirit.

God did not change through any of this. He remains the same yesterday, today and for ever. The era has changed (pre- Spirit pouring / Spirit now liberally flowing). The event of Jesus made the change of era possible.