Saturday blog-sweep

David Murray has collected together a load of articles on the same-sex Supreme Court decision and I am going to try and listen to Don Carson explain it all.

What does Jesus look like

How to lead a team of two to five

50 books recommended by 50 entrepreneurs

Why Taylor Swift won over Apple

37 Christian podcasts

5 ways reading makes you a better leader

One step at a time

Hudson Taylor and his rather eccentric English ways started a movement that is still moving 150 years later. 

More about his life here which is worth a listen. 

(h/t Justin Taylor)

Saturday blog-sweep

How to maximise introverts strengths

A new dad survival guide

Questions you should ask yourself for a six-month spiritual check-up

4 step strategy for a less stress life (love this post)

Children and 'empathetic assertiveness'

Thriving churches in a hostile culture

Elizabeth Elliot R.I.P

The church is not a sanctuary: On the ground in Charleston

Is wrong doctrine harmful?

Ten Thursday Thoughts

1. I am reading 'The Road to Character' and enjoying it. Lots of interesting thoughts. I underlined this quote:

"Thankfulness", the Archbishop of Canterbury, Michael Ramsey, said," is a soil in which pride does not easily grow' p.8

You could also check out '15 history books for your summer reading'. Love a book list....

2. Matt Chandler has preached a repentant sermon that has been much talked about on the interweb after a church discipline controversy. I mused on this observation by Matt Redmond at Echoes and Stars.

'Be skeptical of repentance for which applause is given.'

3. Yesterday, a saint with four kids and eight grandchildren (and one on the way) said to Rachel and I while meeting John. 'Be sure you are investing in your marriage'. I then read this post which put some meat on that bone for me.

4. If you are part of things C of E you probably need to be following the Jeremy Pemberton tribunal. This is the best briefing I've read on it all. 

5. Watched this and pondered it.

6. Robert Madu's words 'Stay in your lane' are one's my heart has needed to hear and preach a lot to itself recently. I need to listen to this talk regularly. 

7. A book that is unread and not yet bought but is on my radar is 'Saturate' by Jeff Vandersvelt.

8. The man with the golden arm

9. The words of Acts 10:19 stopped me short the other morning....'The Spirit said to him'...... I've been chatting about these words to anyone who will listen since.

10. We have our Gift day on Sunday. Praying for the saints of Barnes to be 'richly generous'. One of our five causes is 'The Riverbank Trust' . They have a bold vision that needs £100k.

Saturday blog-sweep

An open letter to Britain

Which way now evangelicals? There is nowhere to hide

Ian Paul has a couple of good posts Tim Keller on Sexuality and Vines and Wilson respond to Tim Keller 

Luther was right says the Pope's Preacher

Spiritual friendship

How to guard against mission drift

People who go to bed late worry more

The Spectators front cover '2067: The end of British Christianity' and How to survive a moral revolution

World Magazine's Books of the Year

And Don Miller's 'Five articles I sent my staff this week'.

h/t Ann Voskamp

Out of the limelight

'Who you are as a person when no one is looking is more important than the most public thing you will ever do'

The Longview, P.45

Saturday blog-sweep

Six wrong reasons to check your phone in the morning

Tim Keller has written 'The Bible and Same-sex relationships: A Review Article'

Risk vs Comfort

Thou shalt not take Caitlin Jenner's name in vain and How would your church respond to Caitlin Jenner?

A delightful story of Grace from Yancey's blog via Mark Meynell

Al Mohler's summer reading list

Women and ministry: The argument 'For' 

Are you hiding a tightrope walking dog?

The Franciscan Way

C of E in 'Serious decline'

Is this the secret to living longer?

The one thing sadder than an ex-MP

Evangelism: Knowledge and openness

Why Preach?

And Donald Miller's 'Five articles I sent my staff this week'

How Great

John loves this song.....

Muslims, gloomy church stats and lots of hope for the future

1. I don't want to keep banging on about Mothercare but it is currently a feature of our new life. The other day, I had a long list on items written out for me by Mrs C one of which said '10 coloured muslims'. I now know the difference between a Muslim and a Muslin :)

2. According the Independent there are a million more muslims in the UK and the C of E is on 'the edge of extinction'.

3. I loved this little piece encouraging us to go off script

4. I am going to cook African peanut chicken stew today from 'Bird in the hand'. Tomorrow, I return to the coalface.

5. I went to my friend Matt's church and out side they had a sign welcome home. Here's an article about how church should feel like coming home.

6. Interesting piece at Church mag about learning from the rise and fall of MTV

7. I am sad to read news of Charles Kennedy's death and Alastair Cambell has written a wonderful tribute.

8. I read One Day in one sitting on a train from La Rochelle to Paris and it made me laugh out loud. I've just bought 'Us' which I probably won't read until 2019 but here's hoping.

9. This quote from Francis Chan in BiOY struck me and reminded me of reading Crazy love in holiday with friends in Majorca. If you haven't read 'Crazy love' you should.

‘The idea of Crazy Love has to do with our relationship with God. All my life I’ve heard people say, “God loves you.” It’s probably the most insane statement you could make to say that the eternal Creator of this universe is in love with me. There is a response that ought to take place in believers, a crazy reaction to that love. Do you really understand what God has done for you? If so, why is your response so lukewarm?’

10. Yesterday, I listened to John Peter's Pentecost sermon (One for the pod) and the story of his son being filled with the Spirit aged 7 was powerful. If you want to be reminded anew of all the Holy Spirit has for you then give this half an hour. 

Storytelling trumps 'the insight of Bhudda'

'Given the choice between trivial material brilliantly told versus profound material badly told, an audience will always choose the trivial told brilliantly. Master storytellers know how to squeeze life out of the least of things; while poor storytellers reduce the profound to the banal. You may have the insight if Buddha, but if you cannot tell a story, your ideas turn dry as chalk'

Robert McKee quoted in 'Lessons from the top', Gavin Esler, p.22

Generally, in the leadership model of the C of E we go for 'the insight of Bhudda' option (a Phd) as the gateway to senior leadershi when, perhaps, what we actually need are better storytellers?