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Sabbatical Shorts 6 - I’m busy because I’m vain and lazy!

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought,  other passages are simple meditations from scripture. How many times have I cringed inside when good people in my church have come to me, apologetically seeking a small portion of my time, focus, and attention, and in doing so will precursor their approach to me with the line, ‘I know you’re a really busy guy, but.....’ Oh, that moment of self reflection, as they hold up a mirror for me to glimpse what they see! A man without time or capacity, a leader who is pushed and pulled from one emergency to another. Their need or even their encouragement for me, becoming something more to be squeezed into an already overflowing schedule. As ever, the fix is the heart, not the schedule.  I was too busy before I left my job to lead the church plant full time 20 years ago, coming home fr
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Sabbatical Shorts 5 - Jesus said 'No'.

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought,  other passages are simple meditations from scripture. Jesus said 'No' to his brothers.  In John 7 1-9 they come to him with a plan, filtered through their misunderstanding of both his identity and his mission. They had a strategy for the development of his ministry. They understood how the world works. You have to prime the pump, get yourself noticed, build a following. Enough of this escaping up mountains, out onto lonely lakes at night. Stop playing so hard to get, shake a few hands, make some noise. Get yourself some public attention, some headlines, some trending traction! But Jesus said 'No'. Consistently through the gospels, Jesus says no to friends, to followers, to critics, to busyness, to apparently legitimate opportunity and need, to pow
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Sabbatical Shorts 4 - The Way of St James

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought,  other passages are simple meditations from scripture. In the early weeks of July last year, we were preparing to travel to Bilbao in the north of Spain, and walk a section of the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St James. The ancient pilgrim routes from various directions, harmonise together to bring the pious throngs to a finish at the city of Santiago de Compostela. The Way is walked by thousands each year. Seekers of spiritual enlightenment, Catholic devotees, thrill seeking adventurers.....and us - A burned out leadership couple from a church tradition as far removed from the myths and nonsense around St James as it is possible to be! My journal notes the interactions that James and his brother John have with Jesus and others in the scriptures. Their reputation as the &
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Sabbatical Shorts 3 - 5 Essential Truths for Maturity

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought,  other passages are simple meditations from scripture. This week is just a list. A short list. But a list with a kick.  We shaped our days around a simple pattern of prayer and scripture reading at regular intervals, seeking to re-wire our hearts and release ourselves from years of busyness and fuzzy focus in leadership. We recognised that these patterns were symptoms of a heart condition which essentially puts me, and self at the centre of everything in terms of importance and control.  It is a heart condition which pumps out a beat that says - I am indispensable. I cannot stop. I am the answer to the problem. When things go wrong I have to fix them. Life works better if I am in control........this is dysfunctional, immature and unsustainable. To navigate our way thro
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Sabbatical Shorts 2 - Stay in the desert

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought, as below, other passages are simple meditations from scripture. Don't stay in the desert. The desert is a place to leave as quickly as possible. A place from which to run for safety, into comfort, welfare and water. But I need to stay in the desert. Those who stay in the desert learn to live in the desert, learn to live with new intention and focus as desert dwellers. Living in the city, I have everything I need on tap, all the time. A constant flow into my life and soul, a wide bandwidth, day and night. Noise, people, ambition, tasks, rest, comfort, food, friends. All good in their way, but each numbing a deeper need, each hit requiring a greater dose. Adrenaline overload, life overdose. Nerves snapping  taut. Body bone achingly weary. So much input but no filli
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Sabbatical shorts 1 - There is no silence

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A year on from a Sabbatical break, here are some selected notes from my journal during that time which may be of help to others, and are certainly a reminder to me. Some is in the form of more reflective thought, as below, other passages are simple meditations from scripture. There is no silence On a distant beach, in the shade, almost deserted. Years of busyness and hurry ceased with a handbrake turn into an emergency stop. But there is no silence. I've left all the noise, ceased the talk, stopped walking the walk,  Turned off the music, turned out the lights But the rest of the planet continues. Other voices carry to me on the breeze. Children cry, a parent shouts, A metal chair harshly scapes over a concrete floor. The polythene sails on the boards in the shallows Snap tight in hot summer wind like orchestral timpani. A motorcycle revs to pass a car, horns are sounded Church bells toll lazily in hazy heat. Then to the under noise of nature. Birds and crickets,
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12 healthy ways to participate in online church and not just watch

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12 healthy ways to participate in online church and not just watch I wrote down some reflections following our second weekend of big livestreams through Zoom and Facebook live. It turns out that all these principles will also apply when we return to our physical meetings! 1/ Go and be present with YOUR church family. Your church may be small, the service homespun. Don’t be a consumer, go and be present, show up, go with an attitude of giving not getting.  There are plenty of amazing churches streaming great bands and teaching. Enjoy them at other times, but don’t mistake this for being with the local family which God has added you into. 2/ Pray beforehand.  For the church to be strengthened, the guest to be added, for the gospel to bear fruit, and the kingdom of God to advance.  Pray for those leading, preaching, serving with tech. Ask God to equip and help them as they serve us. 3/ Arrive early! Be around to welcome people, wave, smile, message.  4/ Put as
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