Resisting mediocrity

I went to a good day at my old church on Sunday. The speakers were Mike Riches and Tim Humphrey my old Vicar. We have Mike with us this week helping us as leadership team and speaking at all sorts of events. We are grappling with the good question of what the purpose of the church is and how to do what Jesus called us to do. We are excited about all God is doing and are set for quite a few days

Tim's talk called 'Resisting Mediocrity' is as good an overview of how to live out a real life for Jesus and what it means if we are to undertake doing that. Tim's talk was the best I have heard in a long time and was honest, funny and full of deep and profound insight. Do make some time to listen to it if you can. www.stbk.org.uk under recent sermons.

Is evolution so safe and cuddly?

Charles Moore's comments in the Spectator (24th October):

James Watson has been excoriated for saying that science proves that black people are less intelligent than white. I have no idea whether he is right, but it is a natural consequence of the worship of the theory of evolution that such ideas gain currency. In the early 20th century, Darwinian views were endlessly used to back up race theory. A more religious idea of the worth of each human being — the sort of thing which makes Richard Dawkins furious — affords protection against the political imposition of these theories. I should like a scientific study to be made of why it is that clever atheist evolutionists, almost invariably male, love shocking us with ideas of this sort

The 2.20

I did my first funeral. In fact I didn't do it but I watched and learnt. We arrived at the crematorium in good time a stood outside the chapel. Not long there, a large wooden door opened an the organist wearing a grey suit and black tie said rather matter of factly:

"Are you the 2.20?"

As it happens we were and we weren't. A deceased lady of 87 whom I had never met was the 2.20, but the truth is we all will be one day. 25 minutes (by the way that's the maximum a crem funeral can take) to sum up your life and my life.

That's it.

Your slot and my slot and then we're gone.

I saw that all I do is so fleeting.

What's going to matter? Really matter. What do you want them to say?

We'd better all work that out before we all join the queue. Maybe not the 2.20 ....you may get the 11.05 or 3.15.

Put your pride aside and seek out the only person who can make the 2.20 have any meaning at all.

My 'SOME GOOD NEWS' on the side bar is my best attempt at explaining it

Jesus died for you and wants your response.

He's desperate for it.

Be sure to RSVP before 2.20......

Keeping connected

I am a member of a book club that has been running for 5 years and in truth it is as much about food and friendship as it is about books. Some of our number rarely read the book and some always do and I suppose I am somewhere in between.( I have been a distinctly more off than on member! ). I enjoyed this months offering quite alot and it is an interesting commentary on how a person becomes radicalised and set against western culture and values. This book commended itself also because it is short and an easy read. We meet next week to share our thoughts.

I also like my dear friends because they keep me connected to the real world. They have real jobs, real lives and we read real books, mostly novels, and most of them aren't Christians. Church life can so easily and quickly leave you out of touch, irrelevant and detuned to our culture and its thinking. I do try and introduce reading with a more theological tone but so far all attempts have been rejected. It's my turn to choose this time, so who knows what will be selected. I am allowed to nominate three so had better decide on my selection. Favorite so far in my search is the new book by Barbara Kingsover and my more spiritual choice may be something by McClaren or Donald Miller.

If you haven't read Blue like Jazz do and give it to anyone who seeking after God.

Tim Keller on False Idols

Tim Keller's amazing talks that I heard him give at All Souls are now available on line. Go to the 'All souls' website and click on the 'Listen to sermons on line' purple box you'll find them. Extraordinary stuff, which is what the gospel is when you hear it told like this...truly life-changing. Listen to this stuff more than once so it really sinks in. Grace. Grace. Grace.