Talking about talking to others with friends...

People who know me will be nodding in a smug acknowledgement to the statement that I can blag my way out of some of the tightest discussion points. Many times have I been given a topic to discuss without prior warning and blagged my way out of a difficult conversation, in my own head believing I have come out on top of the debate, although in reality most likely not. I've encountered times when a lack of preparation or communication has led to me having to come up with a preach /talk on the spot and survived with my 'reputation' seemingly improved. One time at college, during my history A level course, I was asked to be the person to defend the position of the 2nd World War Nazi's in a mock trial, something which obviously is impossible but something I almost blagged, before quite rightly failing at. The point is simple, I like to talk and hear the sound of my own voice. The picture of many of my friends nodding, whilst rolling their eyes at the truth that I like to talk, is a sobering, yet accurate, judgement.

We've got some wonderful new friends in Norwich who came round for food a few weeks back. And over the late night dessert and tea we got chatting about how we talk to others about faith, church and all things Jesus. We got talking about how inept we often are at it, how the strategies we use often fail and whether it was all good deed , or all preaching the word. Conversations developed into whether our relationships with those outside the church are agenda driven and manipulated to 'convert' them and what an authentic relationship looks like. Then my friend Pete delivered a line I think I'll remember for a while, "do you realise we are talking about talking to other people...". The absurdity of what we were doing hit us and left us laughing whilst also in sober reflection. This statement led to us asking what would people think in our communities if they could hear this conversation....

What if all of our book reading, evangelism strategies, seeker friendly services, manipulated programmes and relationally driven techniques are not what Jesus was trying to highlight when he uttered the words 'go and make disciples' (Matt 28:19) ? What if Jesus was moving the conversation on from the earlier statements of the second greatest commandment being loving our neighbours as we love ourselves (Matt 22:39). What if the loving our neighbours, which requires us to talk to them, leads to the opening up of lives and reveals the Christ in us the hope of glory (Col 1:27)? Does this lead to the making of Disciples? I would argue it inevitably will.

As we talked about talking to others I was struck that so many times in the church we talk about loving people, yet often we don't. We don't invite our neighbours and communities into our lives to eat, share and find out about each other. We don't know what the families in our road need prayer for. We don't let people see Christ in us, the honest rawness of a Saviour who lifts us up. If I talked as much to my neighbours and those in my community as much as I talk about getting them into church then maybe there would be a few more disciples, maybe we would love each other a little more and maybe there will be that little bit more of God in our world than if I just keep talking about church.

As hard as it is for me to say, I sometimes need to shut up and get on with this loving others stuff. I think I'll ask our neighbours round for dinner in the next week. Maybe then the conversation won't be about talking about talking to others and simply be a conversation.

Please make my serving of Humble Pie extra Large......

It's been a somewhat quiet few weeks in the Blair household recently. After the hectic business of summer residential, the announcement that Sara is pregnant and the resulting morning sickness which led to Sara receiving a second holiday home in the shape of Cley Ward at Norwich University Hospital, the last few weeks have been somewhat understated. Life just carried on, dishes got dirty and washed again, as did the clothes, Malachi kept on being cheeky and adorable and friends came round for dinner. Life just simply continued.

In my normal thoughts, in my normal car on normal days I was drawn to one singular question. How proud am I? This question began to formulate after some unfortunate news and campaigning around a pub called the William Booth (For more on this please check out my friends blog called William Booth Pub). Pride is a funny thing, often positive but equally can become a negative issue of stubbornness and egocentric actions. In our churches we often comment on 'pride'. Proud to be a member, proud to be a DYO, proud to wear our uniform, proud to abstain, etc... Whilst on the surface these statements seem incredibly positive and would seemingly not raise any eyebrows there is a side to pride I have begun to notice over recent weeks, and it is simply this. Pride is divisive.

Pride rarely unites in diversity, instead it highlights differences between opposing thoughts. Pride rarely is teachable, instead it holds to it's guns and stubbornly fights without listening. Pride rarely builds others up, instead it ensures the differences in class, status or popularity are maintained. Pride can be a dangerous thing. Pride is about exalting ourselves to a place were we can nod our heads in appreciation of what we have done. Pride is about massaging our ego's which ultimately leads to the casting down of disapproval to those who don't agree with our stand point. Pride is indeed a selfish dangerous thing.

Jesus speaks about pride in Luke 18, when he tells a parable of a priest and a sinner. The priest, a proud man, highlights his differences between himself and the others, his pride in his standing only serves to massage his own ego and ensures his difference in all things class related can not be mistaken. The sinner simply humbly asks for forgiveness with a recognition that only the ONE can be proud of anything. Jesus states:

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18: 14

Humility is about exalting others before ourselves, humility is about asking the question 'maybe I'm wrong' before arguing that we are right, humility is about unity because in the end we are all sinners, humility is about following Jesus who had no pride in going to the cross and never displayed pride, when he had every justification too ,after his Resurrection, but always walked, talked and lived in humility.

I've reflected a fair amount over the recent normal weeks about my own pride. About the times I've felt proud of the job I did leading worship only to be humbled in a mistake of epic propositions from the mic stand. The times I've been proud to have the knowledge and theology only to be humbled by a young person who gets the intricacies of God's grace without even trying. I am often proud and I'm often in need of humble pie to bring me back to that place of grace and need, to that place were I realise I am no different to anyone else and nothing I do or earn will replace or pay for the love and forgiveness we are all offered.

Maybe before we tell others they're wrong and campaign against a pub because we're proud to be abstainers and that just wouldn't do, maybe before we look at another whose lifestyle could not be more opposite to the values and morals of ours and maybe before we say 'I'm proud to...' we'll ask Jesus to give us another slice of humble pie. In these thoughts I realise I'm humbled to be a dad, not proud, because my son is more than I could ever do or be but instead is a gift of grace to me. I realise I'm humbled to be a DYO, because Jesus has looked beyond my many many wrongs and seen me as right and lives in my ministry. I realise that I am humbled to be his disciple, because nothing I do or have done will ever be enough to earn me that title other than his mercy.

My orders in, a daily extra large slice of humble pie, because it tastes so much better than that pride stuff...

What's God's view of Amy Winehouse???

So this weekend was a little crazy. Dreadfully tragic events in Norway, Liverpool got hammered by Hull City 3-0, I had a weekend off and the musical genius Amy Winehouse was found dead at her home after a suspected drug overdose. Only two of the above were news worthy, thankfully Liverpool's poor showing was nowhere in sight and will be confined to the folder 'one of those days' for the boys in red. The events in Norway and the demise of Ms Winehouse however were, and still are, very much in our headlines.

Much has been made of the comparison of the two already. How news of the death of a drug addict and out of control singer knocked the tragedy of nearly 100 innocent people losing their lives from the main news story stage. I have even heard many Christians comment negatively on the demise of Ms Winehouse whilst speaking of God's obvious heartbreak to the tragedy in Norway. As myself and Sara reflected on the crazy goings on this weekend we asked the question. What's God's view of Ms Winehouse?

Whilst we read all sorts of stuff on facebook, twitter and the uncontrollable 'free speech' world of the Web, I was struck that the overarching opinion was one of 'well what do you expect?' towards Amy Winehouse, most of which came from my Christian friends. So that spun me thinking, 'Is that really what God thinks?'. No christian, or possibly person, would deny God's breaking heart at the tragedy that unfolded on a small island in Norway, but does God's breaking heart not extend to a drug addict who had lost her way? And therefore should our hearts as Christians also not do the same?

To be honest I was appalled at those believers who had so quickly forgotten of the grace afforded to them, the forgiveness the Father had showered on them in their times of weakness and need, of addiction and lack of self control. Scripture tells me that 'all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23). ALL!!!!! that's you, me, Rob Bell, Nicky Gumbel, Tim Hughes, David Cameron, Dr Rowan Williams, the Pope and Amy Winehouse. All have fallen short, all are in need. As followers of Christ, we are not above others, we are not morally appropriate and able to cast down judgments to those who aren't. We are loved, we are forgiven, we are to forgive and lift others up and we are about loving those who are in need.

So what does God think of Amy Winehouse? My opinion is that as Amy died God wept and whispered over her the things she could have been, that God loved Amy as much as he does you and me and that if she had / has accepted his grace he would have welcomed her with a loving fathers embrace (Luke 15). So today I again recognise and accept God's grace in my life and weep with him for those killed in Norway and for a Lady, a little younger than me, that gave the world great music but could have given so much more.

Enjoy being enjoyed

If you're not aware yet I have a Son called Malachi. He's 2 1/2 years old and swings quite easily from adorable toddler to unbearable child. Currently he's going through a bit of a boundary pushing stage and I now know why my parents used to go mad when I said "don't know" to everything they asked. "Would you like to get out of bed?", "don't know!". How can you not know if you want to get up or not? You either do or you don't. As a parent I also see myself dwelling in two camps, one of the loving parent who looks on with pride and joy and then the other parent who is constantly telling his children off or feeling embarrassed by them.

I have to admit however, the thing that sustains me and makes me realise that this journey of parenthood is worthwhile is in the joy moments. In the moments of Malachi giving a cheeky grin to try and get out of eating his dinner, or the times in which he kicks a football and pretends to fall over as if he's been fouled. Those moments that make me laugh and fall in love with my Son all over again far outweigh the moments of frustration and discipline.

Couple of weeks ago we were attending a wedding of a family member. Malachi was dressed in his waist coat and tie and was pretty much perfect all day. His excitement boiled over into the evening party when the music started playing and dancing was on the menu. Malachi loves dancing and was on the dance floor at every song, not caring what people thought of him, he simply enjoyed being. Jumping, running and wiggling his arms in a fashion you could only get away with as a toddler. Malachi was in his world, enjoying the things laid before him. I was looking on from the crowd and found myself enjoying watching Malachi enjoying. As a father watching his child enjoy the life he has was deeply fulfilling. And at this wedding, in this loud music and crazy 2 year old dance moves, God spoke.

I suddenly got a glimpse of our Father who enjoys when we enjoy. Who sometimes looks on without us knowing, when we've forgotten to pray, or not called in on him in a while he looks on as a Father and enjoys as we live our lives. As we dance to the beat of life, as we enjoy the food he's provided or spend time with the people he created, God looks on and enjoys our life with us. Too often as Christians we are serious, we frown at those that enjoy life, who enjoy spontaneity and don't attend church every week, who are friends with all sorts of party goers and clubbers whilst eating banquets, but who also love God profoundly and see the gift of life he has given us.

Jesus himself was the sort of guy we, struggle with, as did the pharisee's. His life consisted of parties, people, spontaneity and an understanding from his father, and in himself as God, that life is a gift. Jesus states:

The thief [Pharisees/ Religious Leaders]comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10

This isn't only spiritual fullness but an enjoyment of all that has been given to us, that in that enjoyment we grow closer to God and recognise all we have. True enjoyment blesses others and invites everyone to the party. True enjoyment is not gluttony, greed and lust but blessings, sharing and love. As I looked on at my son doing moves not seen since Boy George in the 80's I realised that often I don't think or see God, but he is always looking on at me smiling and enjoying the life I enjoy from him. In them moments we grow closer and more in love.

Don't be scared to enjoy life, just recognise who this life you enjoy comes from...

Simplicity - Stop getting so complicated!!

Spoke to a friend of mine the other day who has been keeping tabs on my blogs and musings. I'm always keen to hear what people are thinking and to enter into a conversation about stuff that matters rather than the redundant "how are you (although I don't really care)?" sentiments. So when we got onto my blog and if he had any thoughts he gave me some incredible feedback. He told me that my thoughts and blogs were great but often he found them a too long.

After I got over my immeadiate rage and thoughts of "how dare you!!" I began to reflect on my sometimes wordy, long over complicated thoughts. Yes I believe it is important stuff I want to dialogue about, the gospels are about life and death after all, but, was I over complicating a simple God?

A scripture immeadiately came to mind and it is this scripture that all of our questions, answers, complicated theologies and intrisic philosophical frameworks need to be born out of. It is this scripture that all of life, justice, hope and faith comes from. It is this scripture that all our understandings, whether they be grand or more impressively childlike, about God need to flow from. And this scripture??

"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love" 1 John 4:8

I desire so much to get into the compexities of God being love and what that means but i'm not going to. Instead I'm going to choose to know him and therefore know love. We all crave simplicity in our lives and we have a God who is simply LOVE. God bless you all.

The God in the corner

I was in Peterborough again yesterday. I'm starting to feel like Queensgate shopping centre is my second home after the countless times I have been there over the last month. Part of my job is to facilitate summer residential camps and this year we are joining with East Midlands division to create a joint school. Therefore Peterborough is the half way point for myself and DYO Andy Whitehouse to meet. Yesterday we spent 6 Hours in Starbucks planning the residential camp. Now I like Starbucks, I have a Starbucks card, I like the free refills, I like the scrumptious BLT sandwiches. But 6 HOURS!!! there is only so much whirring of the grinding machine and milk frother one can take. By the end of the meeting I felt like I had gone 1 round with Mike Tyson (could have put the cliched 13 rounds statement, but lets be honest, one round is generous to me and my breakable frame). The meeting however opened some new insights for me and was definitely worth the fatigue.

During our marathon, caffeine fuelled, meeting, myself and Andy were discussing this years bible studies for the small groups at our residential camp. We got into quite a deep conversation about where God often speaks and celebrates with us and whether that is where we look for him. It came about as we were discussing Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3) and the grand gesture in a quiet corner of the desert.

I see often in our journey with the church and as the church that we are continually looking at ways to bring God into the limelight, to bring him into a place of the X Factor final, Royal Variety Show or O2 Arena. We create church services that look like west end musicals or a coldplay concert, we have celebrity worship leaders and speakers who sign our bibles and we strive to emulate the numbers of the football stadia and night clubs around the globe. We have a grand Saviour in Christ who deserves to be given a place of prestige and honour, that I can agree with. But there is a huge however looming over us that I see in scripture.

No christian would deny the titles of King of Kings and Lord of Lords that Jesus is attributed with. We would rightly bow our heads and fall prostrate on the floor before him. We acknowledge his throne and wish that others would too. But what are the actions of this prestige saviour, how does he respond to the public proclamations? As myself and Andy chatted away about this stuff I was struck with a characteristic of Christ I knew of but had never really taken hold of. Jesus operated in the corners of society, in the places of the loner, the places not even fit for beggars let alone the King of Kings. He was born in a stable, He was homeless, His friendship circles were not the political powers or smooth talkers but the despised, hated and spat on by all in society. He was not liked by everyone, He did not win the phone vote for Israel's Messiah factor and He was not understood. On the surface he was not, what even today we understand to be, the king of kings. If Prince William is not allowed to laugh in public during certain occasions then the King of Kings was acting very below par indeed.

Run scripture back to Moses and Exodus 3 again. The burning bush was not for all to see, it was not in front of all the Midianite people, or the Egyptian people. It was in a quiet corner of a desert and only for Moses. In that moment the wheels of redemption began turning for the Israelites in Egypt. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah is on his own up a mountain and meets with the Lord not in the grand and the powerful but in the quiet whisper in the corner of a mountain, as he comes down from the Mountain he anoints another great prophet in Elisha, Elijah's eventual successor. In Genesis 40 it is in the corner of a prison cell that Joseph listens to God and explains the dreams which leads to his redemption. It is in the prostitute Rahab in Joshua 2 that the Lord is proclaimed and her family are redeemed in a small house in the corner of a great city. In Matthew 6 Jesus encourages his followers to pray, fast and give in secret, in the quiet corner of your heart. Although there is equally occasions where God is glorified in Public, on the stage we might say. In reading the breadth of scripture we witness a God who operates in the corners, who often is not seen and missed because we're looking at the stage or the lighting rig or the PA.

In the Salvation Army, and indeed often in the wider church, we Love events. We rejoice in mass gatherings whether it's the ISB120, ROOTS, Soul Survivor or Congress. In conversations over coffee yesterday God challenged me that whilst these events are brilliant, whilst these events can often fortify our faith we can often miss what God is rejoicing about. Luke 15:10 says:

"In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents"

It is conceivable that at all these "Christian" events we attend, that all those attending are also believers. The sober thing is that should there be a forgotten, young, normal, lonely woman, sitting on her bed all alone in her tiny box bedroom because she has no friends and her family are unconcerned about her, who declares to God " I believe", Heaven bursts with more rejoicing over that one woman than the 1000 listening and worshipping to music and watching the lighting display. That's the God in the corner, who is infinitely more worthy and powerful, and rightfully will take his place on the throne as described in Revelation. But for now he is off his throne operating in the quiet corners of our lives that we might know him and be loved by him. I'm simply glad my God found my corner and that Starbucks do good coffee.

'To be a Gleek, or not to be a Gleek'; Is that really the question?



In my travels visiting the varying degrees of life in this part of the Church called The Salvation Army I have not found something more polarising of people's views other than the topic of Glee. Glee: TV gold or popular trash, musical genius or cheesy outdated anthems. It appears no matter who you are, Glee very much has the Marmite factor attached to it, which has resulted in a powerful and determined faction of society now affectionately labelled 'Gleeks'! Rejoiced by those who are and mocked and scorned by those who aren't.

Therefore to Gleek or not to Gleek was certainly my question some 18 -24 months ago when Sue Sylvester's Adidas track suit wearing scouse fashion sense first hit my TV screen. Now to make the Gleek journey more interesting I must point out that I hate musicals. There is something about watching grown men and women dealing with the tragedies and dilemmas of life before breaking into song in one seamless continuum that just doesn't sit right with me. In my mind, sing or act, pick one not both. But with Glee it was different, for some reason the use of popular anthems, which reminded me of my childhood growing up in the 80's, just worked alongside the bizarre yet hilarious humour. To others it was pointless, boring and g(l)eeky, to me it was brilliant, entertaining and cool. After a few weeks of uncertainty and 'conversion' I was hooked, I had become a Gleek.

So why on Earth am I telling you this seemingly pointless aspect of my life. Well lets just rewind  to yesterday. Myself and Sara had been away all weekend working at The Salvation Army's Roots Conference. There we were challenged about our voice being a voice of hope and transformation, seeing God in every aspect of our lives. We returned home to our Sky+ player filled with TV goodness, one of which was of course Glee. As we settled into our sofa with our Gleek mugs (losers I know), I was suddenly challenged with one question. Am I ashamed of our Saviour?

You see I encounter people who will mock, scorn and berate me for my Gleekiness (if that is even a word) and I will respond with a defence of my glee friends, the humour, the music. I will defend that which I believe is one of the best TV shows ever!! (Big statement I know). I also realised that I am not a gleek by saying I am, I am a gleek because I watch every week expectantly, I own the albums, I'm engaged in the humour, I want to know if Mr Schuster and the Miss Pillsbury will finally get together. I am a gleek in deeds not just in words.

The big question is am I as committed to my Saviour as I am to Glee?

Do I surround myself only with those who believe in Jesus so I don't have to stand with him (and love with him) in a society that ever increasingly rejects him? Do I truly heed his words that I should expect to be mocked, scorned and berated for my faith (John 15:20)? Do I strive to ensure my life is alive with him, for him? That I am Christian not because I say I am but because my actions and commitment to the cause show that I am (James 2). Do I read scripture expectantly? Do I worship him unreservedly? Do I want to know what he has planned for me next and how this life will pan out for me with his Spirit guiding me?

Jesus said "Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels." Luke 9: 26

I am not ashamed to be a Gleek, but am I more willing to defend that position and live out that position when compared to my life with Christ? The heart of this question may be relevant to more of us if we were to honestly reflect on areas of our life. I believe the reason for this juxtaposed dilemma is simply that living out our faith results in transformation, which from experience, is challenging, difficult and hard. Defending a TV programme doesn't. Living out and standing beside, and with Christ, in this world changes our core being, it shines light in the dark places of our existence we believe we only know. Not being ashamed of Christ is less about speaking out in the world for Christ and more about allowing Christ to speak into our own world.

Glee doesn't change me, I move towards it's value for cheesy 80's pop and strange humour so that I will defend it's greatness. The beauty of the Gospel is that Christ moved alongside us (John 1) and fights for our position, that we may be transformed into his likeness and have life in all it's fullness (John 10:10). We don't go to him but he comes to us.

Why is it easier to defend my gleekiness? Because it doesn't affect me or ultimately matter. Christ's Love, Sacrifice and Resurrection is a much more worthy part of my life to defend and align myself to.

"To be a gleek, or not to be a gleek?"; that really isn't the question... 'To follow or not to follow?' now that really is...