Monday, August 30, 2004
Nearly Coherent...
It's been a great few weeks, and I can nearly speak in whole sentences again. The more I reflect about New Wine and Soul in the City, the more I thank God for his patience, grace and love. The fact that I've had a couple of weeks in Brittany with the family to enjoy great French food, some sun (OK not much) and a load of reading adds to my state of quiet euphoria.
Back to work tomorrow and ready for action. I decided to read a load of biographies/auto biographies while away. So enjoyed Jonathan Aitken (British politician jailed for perjury, and encountered God big time in the process), Billy Graham (what a man, just humbled by his desire to share the message about Jesus, regularly to lots of people - OK so we might not all go along with all the style but his "Geared to the times, anchored to the rock" slogan of the 1950's still rings true) and Jason Robinson (England world cup rugby player, and someone who discovered Jesus in the midst of fame and fortune).
Their stories following two weeks of mission in London and two weeks of conference in a cow shed in Somerset, just got me thinking more about evangelism, raising up younger leaders and loving Jesus.
The Em Church venue at new wine did seem like a step in the right direction this year, and the team are just such a great bunch of amusing, challenging and inspiring younger leaders that "doing a conference" becomes a real pleasure.
I've decided to try and avoid the Em Church debate, (there are some great debaters out there) and just get on and do the things I think God's called me to do with the people who he's been kind enought to let me rub shoulders with and see what happens. It could be fun...
A couple of photos of the holiday should have appeared to just give you a sense...
It's been a great few weeks, and I can nearly speak in whole sentences again. The more I reflect about New Wine and Soul in the City, the more I thank God for his patience, grace and love. The fact that I've had a couple of weeks in Brittany with the family to enjoy great French food, some sun (OK not much) and a load of reading adds to my state of quiet euphoria.
Back to work tomorrow and ready for action. I decided to read a load of biographies/auto biographies while away. So enjoyed Jonathan Aitken (British politician jailed for perjury, and encountered God big time in the process), Billy Graham (what a man, just humbled by his desire to share the message about Jesus, regularly to lots of people - OK so we might not all go along with all the style but his "Geared to the times, anchored to the rock" slogan of the 1950's still rings true) and Jason Robinson (England world cup rugby player, and someone who discovered Jesus in the midst of fame and fortune).
Their stories following two weeks of mission in London and two weeks of conference in a cow shed in Somerset, just got me thinking more about evangelism, raising up younger leaders and loving Jesus.
The Em Church venue at new wine did seem like a step in the right direction this year, and the team are just such a great bunch of amusing, challenging and inspiring younger leaders that "doing a conference" becomes a real pleasure.
I've decided to try and avoid the Em Church debate, (there are some great debaters out there) and just get on and do the things I think God's called me to do with the people who he's been kind enought to let me rub shoulders with and see what happens. It could be fun...
A couple of photos of the holiday should have appeared to just give you a sense...
Monday, August 16, 2004
Off to France
It's very early in the morning 'cos I can't sleep. I always find it difficult when I'm getting up early to head somewhere and in a little while we head off to a Fisherman's Cottage in Brittany for a well earnt rest.
Soul in the City and New Wine have been and gone and were both amazing and exhausting. I've loaded some photos at "my photos" and will put more on when I return from France. Soul in the City culminated in 15-18000 turning up at Trafalgar Square for a celebration, pictures courtesy of David as I was down at New Wine by that stage. New Wine was great fun, fantastic team, tight programme and God graciously turning up. It culminated in a bouncey slide commissioning which certainly resulted in people "going out with joy."
It's very early in the morning 'cos I can't sleep. I always find it difficult when I'm getting up early to head somewhere and in a little while we head off to a Fisherman's Cottage in Brittany for a well earnt rest.
Soul in the City and New Wine have been and gone and were both amazing and exhausting. I've loaded some photos at "my photos" and will put more on when I return from France. Soul in the City culminated in 15-18000 turning up at Trafalgar Square for a celebration, pictures courtesy of David as I was down at New Wine by that stage. New Wine was great fun, fantastic team, tight programme and God graciously turning up. It culminated in a bouncey slide commissioning which certainly resulted in people "going out with joy."
