The Deliberate Disciple

Visual Theology - The Books of the Bible

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:44:00 -0800

Actually, give Tim Challies his due, this is a pretty cool infographic:

See his original post about this new infographic here.

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NT Wright - 'How God Became King'

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:32:00 -0800

Looking forward to Tom's new book coming out in March 2012. Have a look at this preview video to wet your appetite.....

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Communitas Conference - 17 March 2012

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:20:00 -0800

I am really pleased to tell you that the third 'Communitas' day conference will be taking place on Saturday 17 March 2012, and want to invite you to come along.

The stated purpose of 'Communitas' is to question the status quo and explore what church could and maybe needs to look like in the future in order to survive and thrive, and transform our communities for Jesus.

This time we want to ask "What now for church?"

The writer Henri Nouwen once wrote, "I am afraid that in a few decades time the church will be accused of having failed at its most basic task, offering people creative ways to communicate with the source of life".

How prophetic are these words?

Maybe it's time to take a fresh look at what it means to be church in twenty first century Britain; to consider again how to be a witness for Jesus in a culture that increasingly considers our faith irrelevant.

Interested?

Then come and join the conversation.

The speakers on the day will be Mark Elder (Heaton Baptist Church, Newcastle) and Toby White (Dayspring Church, Leeds).

Invites are by word of mouth. If you are interested then come along. If you know someone who you think would want to come with you then invite them as well.

Everything kicks off at 10 AM - finishing by 5 PM latest. The venue is the Holy Biscuit, Clarence Street, Newcastle. Bring something for lunch that you can share.

Unfortunately, space restrictions at the venue mean that we are not able to provide child care.

The cost for attending the event will be £15 per person, but if you book places before 1 March 2012 using the attached form below then the cost is reduced to £10 per person.

Please send your completed form with a cheque for the payment amount to the address shown on the form:

Communitas_March_2012_Booking_Form.pdf Download this file

We hope to see you there.

Post a comment if you want to know more details.

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Aurora Borealis Over Northumberland - January 2012

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:40:00 -0800

The Northern Lights have been able to be seen in Northumberland this week...how about this for a spectacular local picture taken from the Nastro facebook page....

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Playing for Change: Stand by me

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:31:00 -0800

I thought this was brilliant....especially Grandpa Elliott, what a fabulous voice!

HT: Elaine Luff

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Whole Church, Whole Gospel, Whole World

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 23:56:00 -0800

This is a good summary put in visual form.....

The Kingdom of God is not just about the future - somewhere to go when we die - it's about now. Jesus came, died and rose again so that God's justice, mercy and forgiveness could be freely offered to all of creation. Heaven and earth becoming one with Jesus as King. A close God not a distant one...a personally involved God not an indifferent one. Freedom for the captive, healing for the broken, comfort for the lonely....and dignity for all!!

Now that's good news and something worth shouting about!!

HT: Mission Britain

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A Review: 'Jolt' by Phil Cooke

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:47:00 -0800

Have you ever read one of those really annoying 'management' books that try to brainwash you into the false hope and blind belief that positive thinking alone will solve all your life problems and help you find success and riches beyond your wildest dreams?

If you have, and, like me, you find them shallow and unrealistic, then you might want to put 'Jolt' by Phil Cooke on your 'best to avoid' list.

But if you did, then you would miss out on a well written book, which, against my better judgement, I must admit I found challenging at times, that is, when I wasn't cringing at Cooke's sometimes sickly 'you-can-have-it-all-like-me' confidence.

The basic premise behind the book is that we all need a kick up the backside, a jolt, to shake us up, realign our thinking and make us realise that the world is changing around us whether we like it or not. Media and technology are taking over our lives, and we need to take back control and 'adapt to the turmoil' or get washed away by the tidal wave of emails, updates and constant streamed information.

The secret, he feels, is to understand and harness the power of change. As he writes, "We don't have to trade our freedom for connectivity, our values for financial success, or our devotion to God for our commitment to technology. Perhaps more important, we can actually embrace the radical disruption and make it work for us."

How? By 'jolting' specific areas of your life, waking you up to the destructive effects of bad habits and practices that dampen your motivation to change, and ultimately hold you back from being a success.

What I did find refreshing was that Cooke was clear and upfront about his faith as a Christian, not in a preachy or pushy way, but with sincerity and honesty, acknowledging his spiritual walk as an important contributor to his success in business and life.

If you want a motivational book that will challenge your thinking, then this is a book for you. However, I found it disappointing, because I was hoping that, as a Christian, Cooke would bring a different perspective, one in which embracing change leads us to appreciate and value what we have rather than just feed our desire for more.

But he didn't, which, for me, is a shame.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the US Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:31:00 -0800

This short video has been 'floating' around Facebook for the last few days.

I thought I would share it here - because it sums up where I am at the moment in so many ways...

Thoughts?

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Samsung Smart Window

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:28:00 -0800

How cool is this?

HT: Ben Luff

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Left Brain, Right Brain?

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:24:00 -0800

Here is an interesting infographic about the differences between being predominently left or right brained:

HT: Online College

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Plant Jesus Not Churches

Sun, 08 Jan 2012 08:11:00 -0800

Two posts on Facebook this afternoon have got me animated.....

The first was a friend who posted a link to an article on Tall Skinny Kiwi's blog entitled '9 reasons NOT to plant a church in 2012'. The other was the posting of a YouTube video from NewForms Media, via Mission Britain/ SimpleChurch UK, called Dandelion Wind (see below):

What TSK writes makes a lot of sense, and I think we, the church, need to take notice of his warning. I especially think this is the case over here on the right hand side of the Atlantic pond, specifically as far as I am concerned, here in the UK.

If the vision that is given in Dandelion Wind is to happen in this increasingly post-modern and post-Christian culture, then I feel we need to accept that 'church' planting, as in setting up a bunch of Christians as a new church in a new place to be a catalyst to reach the surrounding community, just doesn't work in the same way that it used to do.

Unless, of course, you are satisfied with occasional addition rather than dandelion multiplication.....

We need to think again. We meed to find a 'new' way to communcate the love of God in Jesus to our increasingly God-less nation.

The answer?

How about we focus on planting Jesus into people's lives as TSK suggests and then see what happens....who knows, we might see 'Dandelion Wind' multiplication after all....just in a way that we didn't expect.

Thoughts?

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Speeding Around The World in Under 5 minutes Time Lapse

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 01:56:00 -0800

What an incredible world we live in....

As detailed on the YouTube page:

17 Countries. 343 Days. 6237 Photographs. One incredible journey. Follow the adventure at http://kienlam.net/around-the-world and http://kienlam.net
After I quit my job last year, I packed a bag, grabbed my camera and bought a one way ticket to London. 17 countries later, I compiled this time lapse of the many amazing places I came across.
Original Music: "Places and Faces" by William Lam. Will is an extremely talented musical composer whose range is barely touched in this composition he wrote specifically for the video. He's also my little brother. Visit http://kienlam.net to download the MP3.

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The High Price of Materialism

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 10:41:00 -0800

This short video was posted by a friend on Facebook - have a look and see what you think....

It is also posted on the website for 'The Centre for a New American Dream' who introduced it as follows:

In this short animation, psychologist Tim Kasser discusses how America's culture of consumerism undermines our well-being. When people buy into the ever-present marketing messages that "the good life" is "the goods life," they not only use up Earth's limited resources, but they are less happy and less inclined toward helping others.

The animation both lays out the problems of excess materialism and points toward solutions that promise a healthier, more just, and more sustainable life.

What do you think?

Personally, I think it would be hard to develop 'intrinsic values' within a secular culture that encourages an unhealthy obsession with the 'self'....but when you consider it from a Gospel and Kingdom of God perspective then it all sort of makes more sense...creativity and generosity rather than consumption and greed....sounds like heaven to me :)

HT: Darius Namdaran

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Odd Thomas: The Incarnation

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:58:00 -0800

I thought this was brilliant - and perfect for sharing at Christmas

HT: Verge Network

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Christmas Blessings

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:04:00 -0800

Can I wish you all a blessed and happy Christmas and, Lord willing, a wonderful year in 2012.

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Simon's Cat - Fowl Play

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 09:21:00 -0800

A Christmas themed Simon's Cat - always good for a laugh....

...and here is one I missed from a month or so ago, introducting Simon's kitten.

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'One' - Reflection by Richard Rohr

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 00:31:00 -0800

Here is an interesting short film clip of Richard Rohr for the 'ONE' project where he is asked what he would say to the world if he had their undivided attention for one minute...

His conclusion is that he would tell the world to come 'closer to death', to let the pain of others 'get inside of them', to be more willing to share the hurt and vulnerability of others.

What do you think?

HT: Mike Friesen (FB)

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Occupy Wall St - The Revolution Is Love

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 08:07:00 -0800

How about this as an expression of the Kingdom of God....

This is the biblical vision of the Kingdom of God...the guy just doesn't realise it. This is what Jesus came and died to achieve. This is what the world is like with Jesus as King...he just doesn't articulate it in that way.

It's bigger than the church...because the church is just part of the Kingdom of God - admitedly it's God's chosen vehicle to express His Kingdom mission (which it doesn't do very well), but the Kingdom is still much bigger - God is doing so much more through restitution, reconciliation, recreation and resurrection....and Jesus is the singularity at the centre of it all - whether people realise it or not.....

The ironic thing is that this is what the church is (or should be) preaching...but no-one will recognise it as the gospel because the way that the church has historically expressed it is just NOT perceived as good news by so many people in our contemporary culture....

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A Review: 'Peace Be With You' by David Carlson

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 03:19:00 -0800

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading 'Peace Be With You' by David Carlson, due to the fact that I only picked it up because I was intrigued by the basic premise behind it, mainly, the desire to consider the response and reaction to the horror of 9/11 from a monastic perspective.

Carlson, professor in Religious Studies at Franklin College, Indiana in the USA, wrote the book as a result of three personal encounters with the monastic community, that seemingly occurred by coincidence, during the years after that fateful day in September 2001, or three 'knocks on the door' as he calls them. As such, the book is written with two specific questions in mind. "Firstly, how did monks, nuns and retreatants respond when first learning of 9/11? And second, how have they continued to respond to our world of violence and terror, given their spiritual resources and training?"

Carlson attempts to answer these questions by conducting a series of interviews with men and women living the monastic life from across the denominational spectrum, recording their answers and opinions, and then summarising the themes and reactions that he found. Each interview provided him with a different but complimentary perspective of the attocity, which together allowed him to form a window through which he was able to perceive a better way to deal with hurt, pain and conflict.

The book is inspiriational and enlightening, although at times a little hard going. However, I'm glad I read it, and can honestly say, hand on heart, that my personal response to the events of 9/11, and my general outlook on life for that matter, is different because of it.

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Scot McKnight: Christianity as Country Club

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:12:00 -0700

An interesting article has been published on the Huffington Post written by Scott McKnight considering the difference between a 'salvation' and 'gospel' culture:

Christianity sometimes presents itself as a country club. It presents itself this way even when it doesn't want to, and sometimes it doesn't even know it. I grew up loving to play golf but I played on the public course. I had friends who played at the local country club. When I visited the country club I felt like a visitor even though the members were wonderfully hospitable. Members felt like members and visitors felt like visitors, and knowing that you could "visit" only by invitation made the difference clear.
Many experience the church this way. Members know they belong, and visitors know they don't. Well, after all, we might reason, the Christian faith is a religion of salvation, and Stephen Prothero's recent book, "God is Not One," depicted Christianity as a faith concerned with the "way of salvation." And if you are saved, you are a member; if you are not saved, you are not. You might visit, but until you get saved you will know you are not in the club.
Christianity has been powerfully effective at creating what might be called a "salvation culture." Roman Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, Protestant mainliners, Protestant evangelicals and other families in the church like Pentecostals only offer slight variations on this salvation culture. This message of salvation is that God loves us but God is holy so sin must be dealt with; Jesus Christ died for us and through his death salvation can be found, but to find that salvation one must trust in Jesus Christ and his death. Those who do are both "in the club" and will spend eternity with the club members with God in heaven. In essence, this is Christianity's salvation culture. It is a good message, but it is not the whole message.
I want to suggest that the country club image for the Christian faith, its salvation culture, no matter how historic and vital to the Christian church's identity, inadequately frames what might be called its true "gospel culture." If a salvation culture builds a country club, a gospel culture creates a story -- one with a beginning in God's shalom and one that aims at God's shalom. And a gospel culture is not identical to a salvation culture.....

.......A gospel culture focuses on the Jesus Story, the Story that God is at work among us -- the incarnation. In other words, the essence of a gospel culture is a Jesus-shaped and Jesus-centered Story of God at work among us. It is not just a country club, but the Story of life-giving, self-sacrifice and hope that God can take ruins and create monuments of love, peace, justice and joy -- and Jesus told us that Story is now taking place among us.

Brilliant stuff.

Any comments?

Read the full article here

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