pointing to Jesus

As far as I am concerned my job as a pastor is to point people to Jesus in every circumstance and situation of life. It is to help us see what God is doing in and through the events that make up the stories of our lives, to help us build a theology for what is going on and see our lives as God see them. It is to help us to see God’s overwhelming desire for transformation from brokenness to wholeness in the lives of his people in and through the death and resurrection of Jesus. I firmly believe that in all we go through for the Christian God is shaping the us in the character of his Son, Christ Jesus. If your reading this and you are not a follower of Jesus could it be that through the events of your life that Jesus is revealing himself to you? I or any Jesus-loving pastor would love to help you see how.

I have spent part of this afternoon listen and chatting to a lovely couple in our church who together (I say together because they are united in this) face some big challenges.

I am encouraged by and hopefully for this couple. God is their refuge, their safe place, their cover. They understand that God is at work in them to bring glory to Jesus. By their own admission once upon a time the temptation to give up & blame God would have been to strong. However I see the Spirit of God at work in them maturing, shaping and changing them and not with a firm resolute tone to their confession that God is sovereign over there lives, they are standing firm and trusting God.

The beauty of this is that they do not do this alone. Yes they have each other and their extended family but importantly they also have the church and faith filled community of fellow believers in Jesus who will cheer them on, stand by them, encourage them and fight for them and with them. And this is the beauty of the church.

Paul in Romans 5:1-5 writes:  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Paul beautifully put God’s work of transforming us through suffering. Our hope is not just something that is future but that which is being worked out and strengthened here and now by the transforming power of the risen Christ, because he lives and reigns supreme over all things. We who are in Christ live and can stand safe in the truth that nothing can separate us form his love.

Again Paul writes in Romans 8:31-39:  What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In all things may God grant us the grace to endure suffering well, knowing that our suffering is nothing in light of what Jesus endured at the cross. If the cross was were it ended there would be no hope in the midst of the things that we suffer but because Jesus rose again and lives forever more our hope for a better present and future is sure and certain. In all these things in Christ we are more than conquerors! In all things may Christ be exalted, his purposes and will be worked out in the lives of his people to his glory.

enthusiastic dualism

Enthusiastic dualism is a term that I heard well over a year ago when Lawrence Singlehurst was speaking at a NET leaders event in Amblecote. You may never of heard of it before – I hadn’t until Mr Singlehurst uttered it all those months ago. So what is it?

Every Friday (or whatever day your church youth meet) and Sunday young people will lift hands in worship to God, sing the songs and do the “church thing”. Then on “none church” days do as their friends do smoking, drinking, swearing and be sexually active with people who are not their husbands or their wives. They do each with enthusiasm and see no problem; hence “enthusiastic dualism”. Now clearly this is a generalisation as there are lots of young people that live passionately for Jesus and do not engage in the same things as their friends but live counter-culturally to them. Enthusiastic dualism is not only evidenced in young people but adults as well…

As social networking gathers increasing pace such as Facebook, Twitter, Bebo etc they are one way in which I see this demonstrated which has prompted this post. As a local church pastor it is actually quite concerning to see what people who are Christians say and do on what is a great tool to keep in communication with people. The applications, language and status updates are a dead giveaway for those who are enthusiastically dualistic. Now again it is dangerous to make generalisations but it happens when there is a disconnect between the good news of Jesus and everyday life.

Why does it happen? I believe it happens most when people are entrenched in church tradition and not Jesus. When we understand who Jesus is and what he came to do we cannot fail to see our lives in light of this and his light exposes our darkeness. However. His exposure of our darkness enables us to see how far we have fallen from God’s original plan. Jesus is the answer to this problem and provides us a way out in and through Himself in the cross.

It’s not that dangerous though is it? Well actually I think it a dangerous virus that will kill the effectiveness of the church in the days ahead. As followers of Jesus we are called to be different and stand out to those who do not know Jesus. Those who claim to be Jesus followers yet do not stand out as his disciples cause confusion amongst those who do not know Jesus. If those who do not know Jesus do not see any difference in his supposed followers then why turn from living selfishly and for ones self?

Jesus calls us to wholehearted, wholelife discipleship everyday of the week and not just on Sunday’s or when we are in church see . This is what Jesus has to say… “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-33)

There is a cost to following Jesus and that means leaving behind or rejecting the things that lead us away from or erode our friendship with Jesus. There really is no place for enthusiastic dualism in the church only people who have given their lives to Jesus in response to his gracious gift. Life in Jesus cannot be earned through our good works but only through faith placed in him which places us in right standing with God. When we get it I believe that the propensity to live a dualistic lifestyle will ceases as because the reality of the impact of the gospel really sinks in.

I write this a former enthusiastic dualist from my teenage years and now in light of the continuing work of the gospel grace seek to life dependant on Jesus and as a pastor trying to inspire and teach the congregation I lead to wholelife discipleship.

youth, alcohol and crime

A few days ago I read an article on our local newspapers website. The article highlighted the number of under 16’s who had been arrested for alcohol related offences in the West Midlands, 340 in total. It does not take genius to understand that alcohol abuse is rife amongst young people either side of of the  legal age limit for alcohol consumption.

The article covers several areas in which young people had got into trouble ranging from anti-social behaviour to violence and sexual assault. The West Midlands Police (WMP) did not comment on the figures but acknowledged the need to divert young people away from crime and the necessity of intervening early when a young person shows signs of getting into trouble with the law.

This blog is not about bashing the police for not doing enough! As a chaplain for WMP I know first hand how hard the the officers, PCSO’s and police staff work to keep our streets safe. The reality is that WMP or any other county Police authority will never have enough resources to solve this issue.

If I’m honest they nor politicians will ever be able to solve these problems highlighted in this article (and issues not stated) as they go far wider and deeper that any organisation or motion for social revolution can ever deal with.

The problem is that many (not all) of these teenagers are bored and have no decent role models which is highlighted due to an even deeper underlying problem which is common to all humanity – sin (think selfishness, pride, arrogance etc). Young men have very few examples of what it means to be a man. For many their role models are fighters or footballers who are want to be fighters or men who do not take responsibility or commit to anyone or anything. Ultimately these young people lack purpose and a reason for living that is of any real value.

This is where the church needs to step up and not leave it to people who despite trying really hard will not change the heart of the issue – sin. They can divert and implement initiatives but eventually they will be shown wanting. The church carries the  greatest message of all time that life and ultimate purpose is found only in Jesus. When we place our faith in Christ for forgiveness of sin and new life we find purpose worth living and giving for. We were designed to be in friendship with God which is only made possible and in fact modelled through God the Son – Jesus Christ.

When we enter this friendship with God through Jesus, he changes our attitudes and our outlook from one of self-serving to serving others. As I have said in previous blogs people only change when they meet Jesus for real and the bleakness of their condition is revealed. The more people who meet Jesus and are changed by him the less likely crime figures are to rise!

So church the challenge is with us – do we really believe that Jesus changes lives, do we really believe the message we preach? If the answer is yes, then time is to precious to waste and people to valuable to God not to share the greatest message of all. People matter to God, the people who are counted in the statistics of the newspaper article matter to God. That is why Jesus died on a tree and rose again so that all who would believe in him would have life and that is the timeless message of the church – the good news is still as relevant now as ever before.

As is the tradition of WBCC we had a New Years Day walk. This is one tradition that Rachel and I really enjoy and today was no exception. It was a beautiful day (albeit very cold) with stunning views!

cold!

new opportunities ahead…

As I reflect on the past year I look back with mixed feelings on the year that has pasted. On a personal note Rachel and I have enjoyed walking a little bit more frequently with the help of Rusty our trusty Beagle and just feeling really settled in life with what God is doing in us as a couple even if we don’t always understand what is happening. The reason it is mixed is that both of us lost grandmothers in the later part of the year which has brought it challenges. I write this not for you to feel sorry for us but in acknowledgement that life (and death) happens and none of us can escape its challenges.

For some this past year has brought some great challenges. Hearing different peoples stories has been at times heartbreaking just listening to the challenges and trials of their lives.

The bible never paints a picture of a perfect and pain free existence this side of Christ Jesus’ return for his church. The apostle Paul learnt what it was to be content in all situations: ‘I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me’ (Phil 4:12,13 ESV). This is in the context of a letter with an emphasis on obedience and service to God and others. It is when our lives our given to, and centred on Christ, that we can truly face any circumstance that comes our way. Every situation is also a learning opportunity which will enable us to grow as a disciple and become a little bit more like Jesus if we face it in the right way. By looking to Jesus and not turning away, being open to what the Holy Spirit is doing and not hardening our hearts and becoming bitter will be transformed and understand the grace of God in even greater measure.

Who knows what the next year will bring except the Lord that we serve. All we can do place our trust in him for the grace to live each day with purpose and fullness for his glory and names sake.

Whatever the next year brings, it is going to be filled with opportunities both on a personal level and in leading church in mission to West Bromwich and beyond. There are some good things have planned for 2010 and I look forward sharing them in the coming months and to seeing what Jesus will continue to do through us. May we be willing to serve Jesus and be obedient to him as we seek to see the good news of Jesus transform lives.

So as a year passes and a new one arrives let us take hold of the opportunities that God affords us at the start of a new decade and see some good things happen for the kingdom of God and for transformation in our own lives to become more like Jesus.

diary control

Now I’m sure I’m not the only church pastor in the world to have struggled with controlling their diary. I have propensity to get involved in lots of things because I like to be busy and enjoy it. However it is easy to get caught up in things that are not essential and therefore no matter how good they are they are not necessarily something that I need to be involved in!

One of the things (amongst many) that has come out of my meetings with my mentor is the need to define my role as pastor because if I do not everyone else will and it will not be helpful or ultimately fruitful. So I have added a word to my vocabulary that had not been present for some time and the word is a powerful word – NO. Learning to say no to opportunities no matter how good helps us to stay focus on the task/call that Jesus has given to us whatever and wherever that might be. So I have taken to saying no to things that do not fit with my calling/gifting/role as a pastor and also to things that no matter how good would be a distraction to ministry in West Bromwich.

In the coming days I will be reviewing my personal mission statement and allowing that to shape my diary and hopefully help in keeping it under control in 2010. I came across the following via a tweet from Mark Batterson which I think will be helpful as I organise my life. You may find it helpful too.

It comes back to this simple truth: if you don’t control your calendar, your calendar will control you.

Here are seven margin maxims:

1) Put Your Family First
2) Guard Your Day Off
3) Don’t Check Email During Peak Productivity Hours
4) Get Out of the Office Whenever Possible
5) Start Your Day With Devotions
6) Put Together a Stop Doing List
7) Use All Your Vacation Days

more on the public

Further to my recent post on The Public I read this today on the express and star website. It would have been good to go an have a look if we had know anything about it!

Don’t mean to be doom and gloom or point out failing unnecessarily but the farce surrounding what could be a great building and cultural hub in West Bromwich only goes from bad to worse. Maybe the council could let the mission minded churches in West Bromwich take this on and make good use of it? It would be a better use of the money! Ah well we can but dream!!!

the PUBLIC

As a resident of Sandwell for what is now over 3 years and spent time observing and studying the local culture in order to understand the way that things work around here. I have to say that I think I have a fairly good grasp on it although I’m sure there is still much to learn. Why have I bothered to do this I hear you ask. It is very simple really I want to know how people tick so that as a missionary sent to West Bromwich to leader other missionaries we may be best equipped to reach our town.

I’m trying to remember at what stage of the now infamous PUBLIC’s history that we arrived. I’m sure the building was up and but I don’t think the inside was complete.

the PUBLIC

inside the PUBLIC

The PUBLIC was meant to be the centre piece of the regeneration programme that is much needed in a tired town. The stories I hear of past memories when the town centre was thriving should inspire those in charge and those who inhabit West Bromwich and the surrounding areas to see this place thrive. But sadly they don’t and my fear is that the debacle with the eventual opening and ongoing problems only compound the cynicism towards any organisation or person with vision of a different way.

The council, from what I pick up, are pinning there hopes that the regeneration will transform this town we life in and I really do hope that the plans that have been made public come to fruition and won’t disappoint and West Bromwich will again be a thriving centre not just for the people of West Bromwich but also for Sandwell.

However if our hope for transformation is solely in politicians and the plans they lay for out society then we will always be disappointed as they are as flawed and sinful as the rest of us. The Christian Community will in just a few days time be celebrating at Christmas the one in whom our sure and certain hope lies. Matthew the writer of one of the accounts of the good news Christ Jesus records the words spoken to Joseph by a messenger of God “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

The truth is that because Jesus was the God-man, sinless and perfect in every way yet fully human therefore he is able to identify with our weaknesses (Col 1:15-20, Heb 2:14-18; 4:15) and because every word that Jesus ever uttered is truth and came to pass (or will come to pass) we can have full assurance of his promises. Matthew records that he came to save his people from there sin. The root cause of broken promises and deferred hope is sin. This is the problem that every human being suffers from and can only be rectified in Jesus as the sinless rescuer from our hopeless condition. He came to same his people not everyone with a blanket sacrifice to be counted as one of his people we must put our faith in him alone for saving from our condition.

How will West Bromwich really be transformed? It is as people repent of their sin turn to Jesus and live a life of faith and trust in Jesus. The transformation on the heart begins and it is a permanent change as he shapes his character in us. Yes I would love to see the physical landscape of our town change with the introduction of new shops and leisure activities but my greatest joy would be in seeing people who have no hope of something better and are trapped in a life of sin and in the grip of Satan freed to enjoy life as God intended it in the beginning.

Our church vision statement reflects this “Christ-shaped lives transforming our town”.

“They offered him gifts…”

I have to say it is great to give presents as a way of showing love and appreciation to the people we love. Don’t get me wrong I do enjoy receiving presents but there is something special about giving, don’t you think?

In the narrative that Matthew writes recounting the birth of Jesus he tells of the wise men that came from the east to Jerusalem to worship the new born Christ. It is interesting that they went bearing gifts. Now it would not have been unusual for gifts to be brought to a sovereign. The thing that I notice is that they were prepared to offer something of value as worship. I’m not sure they fully understood the magnitude of their statement or indeed who they were about to visit however they went to worship that was there intended purpose.

As we approach the Christmas season we must keep in focus the reason we celebrate this time of year, it is the arrival of Jesus Christ who is not just king of the Jews but king of the universe seen and unseen. He arrived as the greatest gift to a fallen and broken world a world that he had made good in the beginning. What is the gift that we can bring to Jesus this Christmas; it is a broken and contrite heart, a life that is present to God as holy and pleasing to him. Jesus came into this world to provide the only way in which to be restored to fellowship with God through the Cross which he would endure some 33 years after his birth. He did this by dying for our sin on that Cross.

This Christmas as we give and receive presents please let us focus on Jesus, the God-man, who gave himself for us taking the punishment and wrath of God which he justly held towards us a rebellious and sinful people against God. However for those of us who are in Christ Jesus having accepted by faith that Jesus died for our sin absorbed the wrath of God upon himself for us and restored us to fellowship with God the Father let this Christmas be a celebration of Jesus our saviour.

For those who have not accepted that Jesus died for your sin and that he desperately wants to restore you to fellowship with God, through repentance of sin and faith in his all sufficient sacrifice for your salvation, maybe this Christmas will be the most significant and meaningful yet. Nothing we bring will ever be enough to earn forgiveness and salvation, all we can do is to humbly bring our very broken and sinful lives to him and his service, and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us to be like Jesus. Will you hear the call to repent and follow Jesus?

So have a great Christmas, may this year be the most meaningful as we celebrate the eternal Christ who came as a baby, grew in wisdom and stature was obedient to God the Father who lived, died and rose again to the glory of God.

why not join us?

Why not join us over Christmas as we celebrate the birth of Jesus who came on a mission. Want to know more about this then come to one of our services over Christmas to find out.