One In, One Out

Book Recommendations For April

2011-04-01T11:28:00.000+01:00

It's been a while, but as an avid reader I thought I'd return to the blog to recommend a few books that might be worth a read at this time of year. Click on the links for more info.

First is F2C, a new strategy for evangelism. Looks interesting.

Secondly, why not check out Mark Driscoll's new book on manhood and masculinity, Sweetheart.

And thirdly, the Good Book Company's latest offer on a Bible which will really help you in a small group setting.

For more information, check out this article. Enjoy!

Best Christmas Gift Reactions Ever

2010-12-24T14:00:00.000Z

Just a couple of brilliant Christmas present reaction videos. The first one is equally hilarious and awful. Ungrateful much?

Then there is the opposite reaction. The full gamut of human emotion in about a minute. From screaming to laughing to crying to...

I've warned Lib to bring a bucket down on Christmas Day because she will definitely react like this to every single present she receives from me. They are that good. (Or could it be the pregnancy kicking in?)

Anyway, have a good Christmas everyone. I plan to blog more/better in 2011. We'll see...

HT: Si

A Job In Ministry IS Throwing Your Life Away...

2010-10-15T11:41:00.002+01:00

...or at least it should be.

Sometimes I talk with people about how I work for a church and, underneath the polite "oh, ok"s and "interesting"s, lies another response.

"What a waste! You've got a perfectly good degree. But you're not using it. You could get another job with fewer hours, less stress and more pay. And you live miles from the rest of your family. And you're not even in a proper church with a building or a vicarage or where you get to be called Reverend. You tell people about Jesus as your job? We all do useful things like medicine or web design or manufacturing or teaching (actual teaching, not your Bible thing). It's a bit weird to be honest. You could have done so much better, surely! You're throwing your life away."

It's been a while since anyone put it that strongly but that's often the gist of the "what do you do?" conversation. But are they right?

In some ways, no. I wouldn't say I could do much 'better'. And it's an enormous privilege and joy to work with God's people for their good and the reaching of the world.

But in a massive sense...

YES! After all...

So throw your life away for God and the gospel. Do whatever you can for Him and you'll find that life begins once you give it to Jesus.

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Exquisite World Cup Classical Music

2010-07-08T12:00:00.005+01:00

What beauty and skill. Who knew it was such an ancient instrument? Feast on this timeless masterpiece (before the World Cup finishes and it's irrelevant).

Optical Illusions

2010-06-29T09:29:00.001+01:00

HT: Abraham Piper

Everybody Still Believes In Leadership, They Just Think That They Should Be The Leader...

2010-06-03T09:03:00.002+01:00

Take a look at this great little article on authority and leadership. It's a fantastic diagnosis of the widespread problem of people being anti-authority ("Everybody thinks they should be able to text message the president and boss him around.") and a superb restatement of why leadership is essential and beautiful.

Read Every Team Needs A Leader by Mark Driscoll here.

Be Thinking!

2010-06-01T10:02:00.001+01:00

I've been a huge fan and regular user of BeThinking.org ever since it launched. The hours I spent cleaning Duke Street Church were transformed into worldview shaping experiences, even giving purpose to the very act of sweeping up. Thinking deeply is under-valued. Thinking Christianly is a breath of fresh air.

Can I commend to you again BeThinking.org? Articles and audio on all kinds of topics from science and philosophy to culture and sex. Check out their new promo.

What would you say to these issues? Not sure? Go to BeThinking.org, download something of interest, get a friend to do the same and talk about it together. Love God with all of your mind!

Get Up & Win The Race

2010-05-27T08:43:00.007+01:00

Today is my 14th rebirthday. I have been a Christian longer than I haven't been.

Now more than ever I can see my own fallenness and failures. Yet I also know that Jesus has died for me and will forgive me and equip me. I am more tired than before and feeling more strains on my time and energy. No doubt this will only increase. There are decisions I could make which would make life a whole lot easier in the short term but would dishonour God. I want to stick with the gospel and fulfill the ministry God has entrusted to me.

On Sunday, Martin ended his sermon on Repenting Every Day with a poem. Read it below. You could see it as a plea to try harder and earn your way to God. But nothing could be further from the truth. It's a call to stick with the gospel and keep repenting every time we sin. Every time we battle with sin, it's a sign we're on our way to glory. It encouraged my heart and I hope it does yours too.

If I am still here in another 14 years I pray that I may still be straining for the finish line, knowing that Jesus promises me His winner's medal. I don't earn His approval; I can get up and keep running because I already have it.

The Race
“Quit! Give up, you’re beaten,” they shout and plead.
"There’s just too much against you now, this time you can’t succeed."
And as I start to hang my head in front of failure’s face,
my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race.

And hope refills my weakened will as I recall that scene,
for just the thought of that short race rejuvenates my being.
A children’s race, young boys, young men; how I remember well,
excitement sure, but also fear, it wasn’t hard to tell.

They all lined up, so full of hope. Each thought to win that race
or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place.
Their fathers watched from off the side, each cheering for his son,
and each boy hoped to show his dad that he would be the one.

The whistle blew and off they went, young hearts and hopes of fire.
To win, to be the hero there, was each young boy’s desire.
One boy in particular, his dad was in the crowd,
was running near the lead and thought, “My dad will be so proud.”

But as he speeded down the field across a shallow dip,
the little boy who thought to win, lost his step and slipped.
Trying hard to catch himself, his hands, flew out to brace
and, mid the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face.

So, down he fell, and with him hope; he couldn’t win it now.
Embarrassed, sad, he only wished to disappear somehow.
But as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face,
which to the boy so clearly said, “Get up and win that race!”

He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit that’s all,
and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall.
So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win,
his mind went faster than his legs, he slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quit before with one disgrace.
“I’m hopeless as a runner now. I shouldn’t try to race.”
But, in the laughing crowd he searched and found his father’s face,
that steady look that said again, “Get up and win that race!”

So he jumped up to try again, ten yards behind the last.
"If I’m going to gain those yards," he thought, "I’ve got to run real fast."
Exceeding everything he had, he regained eight or ten,
but trying so hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again.

Defeat! He lay there silently, a tear dropped from his eye.
"There’s no sense running anymore—three strikes I’m out—why try?"
The will to rise had disappeared, all hope had fled away.
So far behind, so error prone, closer all the way.

“I’ve lost, so what’s the use?” he thought, “I’ll live with my disgrace.”
But then he thought about his dad, who soon he’d have to face.
“Get up,” an echo sounded low. “Get up and take your place.
You were not meant for failure here. Get up and win that race.”

With borrowed will, “Get up,” it said, “you haven’t lost at all,
for winning is not more than this; to rise each time you fall.”
So, up he rose to run once more, and with a new commit,
he resolved that, win or lose, at least he wouldn’t quit.

So far behind the others now, the most he’d ever been,
still he gave it all he had and ran as though to win
Three times he’d fallen stumbling, three times he rose again.
Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end.

They cheered the winning runner as he crossed, first place;
head high and proud and happy—no falling, no disgrace.
But, when the fallen youngster crossed the line, last place,
the crowd gave him the greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last, with head bowed low, unproud,
you would have thought he’d won the race, to listen to the crowd.
And to his dad he sadly said, “I didn’t do so well.”
"To me, you won,” his father said. “You rose each time you fell.”

And now when things seem dark and hard and difficult to face,
the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race.
For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all.
And all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.

“Quit! Give up, you’re beaten,” they still shout in my face.
But another voice within me says, “Get up and win that race.”

Pleurisy & The Intolerant Troll

2010-05-26T13:06:00.004+01:00

One of my posts which gets the most traffic is one I did a couple of years ago about my brush with Pleurisy. (Read it here.) Lots of people seem to want to know what it feels like and what to do. I can tell you now, it feels horrible and phone for an ambulance.

But someone left a comment the other day. They remarked:

"why did you have to bring religion into it? Keep thy religion to thy self. [insert rude word here]."

Although they inserted their own rude word there.

I keep thinking about this comment. First of all, I think it's hilarious! I'm meant to keep my religion to myself but an anonymous commenter is allowed to swear at me! The intolerance of 'tolerance' is mind-blowing. Plus the 'thy' stuff - as if that's the 11th Commandment. Genuinely amused me.

Secondly, it never ceases to amaze me the trolling and nastiness you get on website comments. That's why I installed the Firefox add-on 'YouTube Comment Snob', which filters out excessive capitalisation, swearing, over-use of exclamation marks, all capital letters, etc. With a wife who works in customer services, I know the level of horribleness that comes out when you are the tiniest bit anonymous or speaking to an unknown person. Seriously people, calm down.

Thirdly, how private is private? I'm meant to keep my religion to myself. But isn't writing my views on my blog allowed? I didn't post this person a link to the site. I didn't pin them down and force them read it. I just recounted my brief experience with a painful illness from a Christian perspective, put it on the internet and then Google helped Mr Anon to find it. They chose to read it.

So I'm very sorry that I offended you, whoever you are. But I hope you are ok and not suffering from pleurisy yourself. If you are, or at another time of suffering which will inevitably come, I pray that you remember something of what I said, turn to Jesus and have Him take away the fear of death because He's taken away your punishment after death.

I will keep on blogging about God, being very glad to know that all kinds of random people read this. If you are a random person, you are very welcome here. Feel free to comment. Or not. Just don't feel you need to keep thy religion to thyself.

Is Theology Just God-Geekiness?

2010-05-25T13:30:00.002+01:00

I love Doctor Who. I am a huge fan of Harry Potter. Lib and I spent ages this weekend discussing the final episode of the Ashes To Ashes / Life On Mars saga. I really enjoy the detailed worlds that good writers can create and noticing the way it all hangs together. I enjoy sharing these things with others, like the fun of pointing out to people the many links between Gregory House and Sherlock Holmes - look it up!

But is this basically all I'm doing as a church minister? Are Christians simply hobbyists about this Jesus character? Is theology just geeking out over another book, albeit slightly different from the usual books?

My initial answer is, it can be.

There is a very real danger of Christians (particularly those who rightly honour the Bible) to turn simply into Bibliophiles, just loving the Bible and books about the Bible rather than God Himself. Not that I am in any way trying to draw a wedge in between God and His Word. Heaven forbid! We know about God by His Spirit revealing Him through the Bible. In fact, that's precisely my point.

The Bible is the means by which we discover God. This makes it utterly essential but still a means to an end, not an end in itself. When we meet Jesus face to face, not only will death, disease, sadness and war cease, so will Bible study! Faith will have become sight. We will know Him and see Him so much more clearly. As Bavinck says, "Scripture is a passing act."

This means that we shouldn't just dig in to the Bible for the sake of it. We should go there with purpose rather simply because we should. We want to know God better. We want to be stirred up to love Him more and serve Him with greater passion. We want to be comforted and rebuked by His instruction. We want to have our whole way of approaching the world shaped by His agenda. We want... Him!

Which is another reason why theology isn't like being obsessed with The Mighty Boosh or The Office - the main character in Scripture is the actual God of the universe. The real deal. "The God who is there."

If I think that a later series of the Boosh will unveil Vince Noir and Howard Moon to be physical representations of the conflict within one man's psyche, I'm free to think that. I would probably be wrong, but it's a pretty small-scale species of wrong when it relates to a misunderstanding of a BBC Three comedy show. On the other hand, if we are wrong about God, it really matters.

Stealing Matt Chandler's illustration, imagine I start blogging about how much I love my wife, Libby. I tell you all about her beautiful straight blonde hair, her love of sports and how I enjoy being with a taller woman. That's sounds fine. Unless you know Libby. She does have very lovely hair, only it's curly and brown. Height-wise, she comes up to about my nose. And she's more of an indoorsy person. If I praise her for her blonde hair, things will not go well for me.

Likewise, we must be careful of thinking things about God which aren't true. If you worship a God who isn't a Trinity, that's not God. If you pray to Mother God, that's as inaccurate as calling me Mrs Burley. If we praise God for promising that we will never suffer, you're trying to cash a cheque that He didn't write. Theology matters because God is real. He has revealed Himself. And we should long to know Him better.

Julie Smith defines a geek as "a bright young man turned inward, poorly socialized, who felt so little kinship with his own planet that he routinely traveled to the ones invented by his favorite authors". But that could be a definition of sin! Man turned in on himself, cut off from community, living in a fantasy world of his own creation.

But in true theology we are not just amassing trivia or knowledge so specialised that it is of no use in the outside world, like someone mastering Guitar Hero rather than an actual guitar! We are dealing with the real God who has really revealed Himself. And who does so in order that we might honour Him as we were designed to and thereby live rightly in the real world, rather than meander in a Godless world that doesn't exist.

So is theology just God-geekiness? No! Theology is just a fancy word for knowing God. Other people might think it seems geeky, but in reality this is like someone on a sinking ship being mocked for their all-consuming enthusiasm for oxygen. Theology and the Christian life are only truly geeky when they are separated from a living relationship with the God who made us, loves us and came to redeem us.

Theology matters because God matters. So study the Bible with a purpose - to know God better and then to love and serve Him better in the real world.

Goodbye Brown, Hello Cameron - The Speeches

2010-05-12T12:00:00.011+01:00

Historic scenes in Downing Street yesterday. I was moved and encouraged by both speeches from Gordon Brown and David Cameron. We should thank God that we live in a country where power changes hands without violence, but with dignity and respect. Here are the videos of their speeches (not cut'n'pasted like last time!).

First, Gordon Brown resigns as Prime Minister and as leader of the Labour party. Highlights include an admission of human frailties including his own (1:03), the delight in serving rather than in the pomp and ceremony of the job (1:11), and his loving tribute to his family (2:27). Listen to his parting words, men. "And as I leave the second most important job I could ever hold, I cherish even more the first, as a husband and father."

Next, David Cameron accepts the position as the Prime Minister of a new British coalition government. Great for him to honour the previous administration (0:12), his emphasis on everyone serving (2:42), and the admission that this will be hard work (3:35). Although not at all a Marxist, I often summarise a key part of my political opinions with Karl Marx's phrase, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." I was very pleasantly surprised, therefore, to hear Cameron saying something similar - "a guide for that society, that those who can should, and those who can't we will always help."

Whatever our opinions, whoever we voted for, if Peter could tell persecuted Christians to "honour the emperor" (1 Peter 2:17), even the emperor who killed them, then all Christians should commit to honour and pray for David Cameron and our leaders. Romans 13:1-7 says God has put them in authority over us to be obeyed. 1 Timothy 2:1-8 says we should lift them up in prayer. I may not have voted Tory or Lib Dem, but I hope you'll hold me to account for praying for and respecting their joint leadership.

"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

wisdom and power are his.

He changes times and seasons;

he sets up kings and deposes them."

(Daniel 2:20-21)

Watch Before You Vote Today

2010-05-06T09:00:00.001+01:00

A quick video before you head to the polls. Check out the final words from the three main party leaders at the end of the first TV debate. Things may have become a little jumbled in the process, but I think you get the gist. Brown appears confused, Cameron is frightening, and Clegg concedes the election.

I knocked it together very quickly so it's not at all pro. Just another bit of fun cutting and pasting.

The original video is here.

Tips For The Depressed

2010-04-29T10:01:00.001+01:00

I love Sydney Smith's fantastically practical advise for dealing with depression. Here's 19 tips from the 19th century:

1. Live as well as you dare.

2. Go into the shower bath with a small quantity of water at a temperature low enough to give you a slight sensation of cold, 75 or 80 degrees.

3. Amusing books.

4. Short views of human life—not further than dinner or tea.

5. Be as busy as you can.

6. See as much as you can of those friends who respect and like you.

7. See as much as you can of those acquaintances who amuse you.

8. Make no secret of low spirits to your friends, but talk of them freely—they are always worse for dignified concealment.

9. Attend to the effects tea and coffee produce upon you.

10. Compare your lot with that of other people.

11. Don’t expect too much from human life—a sorry business at the best.

12. Avoid poetry, dramatic representations (except comedy), music, serious novels, melancholy, sentimental people, and everything likely to excite feeling or emotion, not ending in active benevolence.

13. Do good, and endeavour to please everybody of every degree.

14. Be as much as you can in the open air without fatigue.

15. Make the room where you commonly sit gay and pleasant.

16. Struggle by little and little against idleness.

17. Don’t be too severe upon yourself, or underrate yourself, but do yourself justice.

18. Keep good blazing fires.

19. Be firm and constant in the exercise of rational religion.

HT: Abraham Piper

Enjoying God MP3

2010-04-28T08:45:00.001+01:00

We're currently doing a series at Emmanuel called The Walk: practical help for living the Christian life. We're tackling different topics to help root new believers and refresh more experienced ones. On Sunday I preached from Philippians 3:1-14 on the topic 'Enjoying God'.

A lot of people would think the idea of enjoying God sounds like a contradiction in terms, but nothing could be further from the truth! Listen to it here.

The Music That Would Play Over The Credits If They Made A Gladiator-esque Biopic Of Stuart Townend...

2010-04-22T08:58:00.003+01:00

Errr, maybe not. But seriously... A stunning new version of How Deep The Father's Love For Us from Mars Hill Church. It sounds so epic and haunting, drawing you into the drama of what Jesus has done for us. The heavy drums pounding feel like hammerblows into those nails; the horror of it all, yet the incredible mystery that "his wounds have paid my ransom." Then the soaring climax, celebrating the victory that death was not the end for Him and won't be for all who trust in Him. Beautiful.

All the music from their Good Friday service is now available to download for free from their website here.

--UPDATE--

The music doesn't seem to be embedding properly. To hear it, click here and listen to How Deep The Father's Love For Us.

Where Is Your God?

2010-04-20T10:39:00.000+01:00

Great poem based on Psalm 42 performed by the delightful Millie Styles, as shown as New Word Alive this year. We need more of this vocabulary to express the hurt and reality of life when God feels absent. Great stuff.

If you like listening to Styles family members speaking about Psalm 42 (& 43), check out Nigel's sermon from Emmanuel here.

Loss Of Life MP3

2010-03-30T16:08:00.000+01:00

As part of A Passion For Life in Nottingham, we've been doing a series in Luke recently. I had the privilege of speaking on Luke 23:39-42 this week, talking about the death of Jesus. Why not think about how you treat Jesus. It is wonderful how He treats us.

"Today you will be with me in paradise." A shocking promise made to a bad man. A promise held out to people like us today. Listen here.

A Model Ministry MP3

2010-03-01T08:32:00.000Z

I realise that the title makes it look like the MP3 I'm linking to here will contain ministry of an exemplary quality. Or that I am promoting an evangelistic outreach project amongst Warhammer enthusiasts. Or the attractive. However, that was just the title of the sermon.

The model ministry is that of Paul as he tells the elders in Ephesus how to lead their churches like good shepherds who love the sheep and watch out for wolves. It's from Acts 20:17-38 and I preached it at Emmanuel a couple of weeks ago. Check it out here.

Just What IS The Hokey-Cokey?

2010-02-25T13:57:00.008Z

New research suggests that the actual definition of the hokey-cokey has defied children and adults alike for centuries despite widespread belief that "everyone knows the hokey-cokey".

A recent performance at a Nottinghamshire toddler group first raised the issue for Nathan Burley, a one-time proponent of the dance. "The meaning of the routine is obviously very important to civilisation as a whole and our understanding of the world in the 21st century. After all, the song itself claims to hold the key to the meaning of life, boldly declaring that's what it's all about."

Theories abound regarding the songs origins. Some suggest that it is a subtle reference to cocaine use in the Canadian mining communities of the 1940s. Others think it derrives from the Italian phrase ecco un poco (meaning "here is a little") and was Anglicised as hokey-pokey, the former name for a serving of ice cream before the invention of the edible cone. Still others claim that the song was written in heaven on golden tablets and revealed to a Utah man in a dream, which included an angel demonstating the complicated actions.

One more recent theory is that the song holds an anti-Catholic agenda. In the Latin mass the priest would proclaim hoc est enim corpus meum ("this is my body") at which point they believed the bread had transformed into the actual body of Christ. The Puritans mocked this as superstition and developed the phrase "hocus pocus" to refer to meaningless magic words, a point furthered by the seemingly empty ritual of the resulting dance.

The song rose to notoriety in the late 70s following a number of prominent health scares. People being crushed to death in the centre of the ring has always been a danger, but when reports emerged of children putting their left arms in and not being able to subsequently remove them, the song looked destined to be outlawed along with British Bulldog and asbestos. However common sense prevailed as the Hokey-Cokey Heritage Act of 1981 was passed thus protecting the game forever.

Instructions for the Hokey-Cokey

Or at least it's future appeared secure until recently. The major point of debate among modern hokeycokeyologists is the identification of the exact moment at which one performs the Hokey-Cokey. Is it the part when the members of the circle hurtle towards each other in the middle? Is it more in the posture of bent knees and out-stretched arms accompanied by the mandatory chant of "Rah! Rah! Rah!"? Or does the essence of the dance lie elsewhere?

One puts one's right leg in. One takes one's right leg out. In. Out. In. Out. And then, of course, one shakes it all about. It is at this point, however, that everything falls apart. The next line goes:

"You do the hokey-cokey then you turn around..."

This new study conducted by the Bramcote University of Miscellany highlights that the action undertaken immediately prior to turning around must be when one performs the Hokey-Cokey proper. However, this is ironically the moment where there is least conformity among the dancers. People either boogie on the spot, make a chevron shape with their hands and wiggle it, or, most commonly, look bemusedly at the other mums hoping that their children don't recognise the confusion in their eyes as they command them to do something which they themselves have no idea how to do.

A spokesman from the university said, "The instructions are clear: you do the Hokey-Cokey and then you turn around. This raises huge questions about the nature of the Hokey-Cokey and whether anyone has actually 'done' it for decades." We need to rediscover this ancient practise before it dies out. Thankfully electronic group Kraftwerk have produced a brand new version of this music hall classic for the next generation.

Let's just hope that this important research continues to break new ground so that the right legs of us and our children's children are not "taken out" for good.

Religion Saves... & Nine Other Misconceptions (FREE)

2010-02-19T16:42:00.000Z

ChristianAudio.com very generously gives away one top-notch Christian audiobook each month. I download it almost every time. This one I had to tell you about.

It's Religion Saves... & Nine Other Misconceptions by Mark Driscoll. I loved the print copy. It's fairly hard-hitting and deals with the 10 big questions that people wanted him to tackle. Topics range from birth control to predistination, from humour to dating. Driscoll pulls no punches as usual - you have been warned!

Download it now here. The offer is only until the end of February 2010 so sign up and get it while it's still free. If you're reading this after Feb, that link should take you to whichever book is free this month but I don't neccesarily recommend it! Get the real thing in your hands from Amazon here.

Dug Down Deep

2010-02-17T09:01:00.004Z

I ♥ theology. Because I ♥ God. This video extract from Josh Harris' new book Dug Down Deep is a great intro to why theology matters.

And it's a bit like Napoleon Dynamite too, which doesn't hurt.

Was (Literally) Blind, But Now I See!

2010-01-15T08:50:00.000Z

First thing on Wednesday morning, I was putting a load of washing in. The capful of Persil Small & Mighty slipped out of my hand, bounced on the floor and flicked up into my eye. And I lost my sight.

Shoving my head under the tap I tried to wash the stuff out but I could feel it all around my eyeball and getting into my nose. Eventually I squeezed my eye open and I could see just a little blur. But it was better than totally blind. Lib was just about to leave the house but thankfully hadn't quite gone yet. She phoned NHS Direct who said I should go to A&E. Thankfully someone from church could drive us in. (Thanks Joan!)

They tested it, washed it, stuck litmus paper in it, numbed it, shined lights in it, put dye in it and generally poked and prodded it. Apparently they should rename those concentrated liquids Small & Vicious because they give a really nasty chemical burn. And so Lib led me home on the bus. I couldn't open my eyes properly nor see clearly when I did. Like the girl off Blair Witch, "I'm afraid to close my eyes. Afraid to open them."

And the agony. Oh my goodness, pain is not fun. It reminded me of something Woody Allen once said, "I'm not afraid of dying - I just don't want to be there when it happens." As a Christian I often talk about the hope that I have for my life with God after death. But this experience underlined for me how the suffering, pain and discomfort of life before death really do still pack a punch.

Here are a few reflections that went through my head as I sat in the dark these last couple of days:

* Firstly, "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit' - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil." (James 4:13-16)

We really do not know what the next couple of seconds will bring. My whole week has been derailed. The nurse at the hosptial said this was why men should never do the washing, but there is no way to avoid this! It was good for me to suffer in this way for a few days to remind me that I am not in charge of my own destiny. God is and I am glad of that.

* Secondly, this is not my home. We just moved house last week. As we were packing, Lib and I kept reminding each other, "The new house is not the new creation!" We mustn't pin all of our hopes on this place, because it will fail us. When our boiler died on Monday only days after moving in, it's a reminder that we are waiting for a permanent home in which things don't wear out, break down or fall apart. And this temporary blindness is a reminder that in our true home we will have bodies that won't do that either. When you're trying to fight the urge to gouge out your eye with a spoon cos it hurts so much, you start longing for the resurrection!

* Thirdly, I was utterly helpless. Blind and hurting. If I was in danger, I wouldn't have known it, nor could I have acted to avoid it. That was my spiritual condition before Christ saved me. His Spirit opened my eyes so that I could see how wonderful He was and how I had rubbished Him. On the cross He took the punishment my rebellion deserved and then rose again to give me a new start. The last couple of days were a re-enactment of those realities. May I never forget how I need Him to open the eyes of my face so I can see anything at all, let alone to open the eyes of my heart so I can see wonderful things in His law!

p.s. Thanks for people's prayers and sympathy. As you've probably guessed by this post, I can see again now. It's still uncomfortable and blurry but should be right in a couple of days. What an amazing thing the body is that it regenerates those top layer of cells without any help other than an ointment to prevent infection. Even more amazing is the one who invented that body.

Elvis At 75

2010-01-08T18:57:00.002Z

Elvis would have been 75 today. Here's what the "computer experts" at The Sun have scientifically calculated the king would look like if he were around to celebrate.

Apparently he would have become a raisin. A little less 'blue suede shoes' and a little more 'brown suede face'. He looks like an over-done steak. A steak that got run over by a lip gloss truck. Oh, the wonders of modern technology!

Christmas In A Nutshell

2009-12-24T08:45:00.010Z

What is Christmas all about? We showed this video at our Carols By Candlelight service on Sunday. Hope you enjoy it and have a really happy Christmas, celebrating the best gift imaginable - God Himself showing up.

Which House Is Better?

2009-12-22T09:02:00.001Z

At this time of year, which house is better? This one?

Or this one?

Which one is closer to the house that Jesus turned up at for Christmas? I've been challenged on this lately, and particularly this morning. There's been a video update from Matt Chandler about his health. It's a rough time for him, his family and his church. He needs chemo and radio therapy. But he quotes Ecclesiastes 7:2.

"It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart."

Not your normal Christmas message, but when you most likely go to your house of feasting this week, think about the house of mourning. It really is better. Because it's good to remember that we all die. Don't waste your life on temporary stuff. Build your life on Christ, the solid rock, who went through death and came out the other side so that we might follow Him there.

Awful Plastic Jesus

2009-12-14T08:56:00.004Z

Just found this video again and had to share it. Taken on my phone a few years ago, we found this monstrosity dumped in a bag in the foyer at church. Someone had not only bought this thing, but they had taken it to a church Christmas service. Appropriate! What's better is that Jesus apparently died to bring us Jingle Bells! Not even a carol! Watch this and weep. Maybe with laughter, maybe not. This certainly comes under my category of 'holy crap'. At least they make the connection between the nativity and the crucifixion - ish.

The Chuckle Brothers?

2009-12-11T09:03:00.003Z

The other night I laughed so much it hurt. Tears were rolling down my cheeks I was chuckling so much. And 'chuckle' is the operative word. Lib told me she'd seen somewhere that The Chuckle Brothers are actually father and son.

Think about that for a moment.

When I recovered, I looked it up on my phone and kept seeing "Barry Chuckle is Paul Chuckle's dad", etc. Checking wikipedia today shows that it's nonsense; they really are brothers. Of course they are. Otherwise they would have just called the series Chuckle & Son. That was what made me laugh the most - at some point in a meeting they might have decided that being brothers was a funnier way to be related than being a father/son combo.

Another amusing fact is that Mr No Slacking is also their brother! He and yet another brother perform together under the name The Patton Brothers. I'd guessed that Chuckle wasn't their real surname, but neither is Patton! All them are the Elliots! I suppose ElliotVision isn't quite so catchy, but at what point did they decide that Patton was funnier than Elliot as a surname? They could have gone for the Giggle Brothers. As far as I know that one's free. (Note to self: find a brother and start duo called The Giggle Brothers. Or maybe I could have a son...)

I love ChuckleVision. I once saw The Chuckle Hounds live at the Alban Arena. I have a Chuckle Brothers wallet. (Admittedly not one I use regularly - I'm not stupid. I know it would only increase the risk of someone wanting to mug me for it.) I appreciate their catch phrases.

P: To me.

B: To you.

B: Silly me.

P: Silly you.

And of course...

B: Oh dear.

P: Oh dear, oh dear.

And in case of a real mishap, adding

B: Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear!"

Basically, I'm a fan. But nothing is better than this. A rare solo moment for Barry as he covers Jay-Z's hit 99 Problems. Enjoy, safe in the knowledge that no internet rumours can destroy their comedic fraternal bond.

New series set for 2010 - woop!

Thanking God For A Tumour

2009-12-09T13:00:00.004Z

I have been greatly blessed by the ministry of Matt Chandler, lead pastor at The Village Church in Dallas, Texas. His message on The Pastor And His Unregenerate Sheep at the Desiring God Pastor's Conference this year has fed me well a number of times.

So I was saddened to hear of his brain tumour and need for surgery last week. I've been praying for him regularly and would ask you to do the same. It seems that he got through surgery ok and is looking to recover now. Praise God for that.

One thing that struck me is how he has conducted himself throughout. Watch this video which was recorded before his surgery and was played to his congregation on Sunday. He thanks God for this tumour and pleads with us to see Jesus as better than life.

For similar stuff read John Piper's short article Don't Waste Your Cancer, written whilst he was suffering with prostate cancer. But whatever you do, don't worship Piper or Chandler. Worship with them the God of all comfort, who suffered and died to kill suffering and death forever.

If Your Spouse Is Faithful, Is That A Reason To Cheat?

2009-12-08T08:55:00.003Z

The answer is no, in case you couldn't wait to read the whole thing. Phew. You can read on now...

If I 100% knew that Libby would be faithful to me forever and that she would never divorce me no matter what, how should that impact me? Would it make more more or less likely to be faithful to her? Would it make me complacent and liable to drift off? Or make me thankful and try to be the best husband I can be?

Well, I am sure of Lib's faithfulness. She is wonderful. And I would certainly hope that this would make me more committed and loving to her rather than less!

So why on earth do we think God's unchanging love and grace to us makes it ok to sin? Shouldn't it make it worse? Unthinkable even? Where on earth did this idea come from?!

Wormfood & The Glory Of God MP3

2009-12-01T17:34:00.001Z

Carrying on our series, Spread The Word, I preached on Acts 12:1-24 this Sunday. All about opposition to the church because people want to be God. And what God's going to do about it... Prison breaks, shock at the prayer meeting and a gruesome death.

Listen here.

Wiki "Chiki" Jesus Mistake

2009-11-06T12:01:00.004Z

I was happily looking up something about Jesus sending out the Seventy Disciples. Then I saw something very odd. See if you can spot it.

Missed it? Check out this zoomed in bit below.

So funny. Just in case you weren't sure, Luke 10:1 doesn't say that. What I find brilliant (apart from the typo) is that the bit which "ate chiken wings" replaces is "appointed seventy-two others", i.e. the very topic of the wikipedia article! Oh the joys of an editable encyclopaedia.

Boldness Despite Opposition MP3

2009-11-04T13:00:00.001Z

We're currently exploring Acts at church in our series Spread The Word. Really exciting stuff! Here's my latest sermon from a few weeks back on Acts 4:1-31 and 5:17-42. I was really encouraged by this passage and challenged about my boldness (or lack of it!). We can be bold despite opposition because Jesus really is the king.

Listen here.

David Cameron Cut'n'Paste

2009-10-29T09:00:00.001Z

Just a little something I knocked together...

I Married Up

2009-10-26T13:09:00.003Z

After a lovely staycation with Lib this weekend, I can concur with this BBC article about the benefits of marrying a wife who is younger and cleverer than you.

"An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones." (Proverbs 12:4)

No rottenness here! I definitely married up.

Embrace Pop Culture

2009-10-20T09:00:00.007+01:00

This video is worth watching just for the line in the middle about Christians engaging with culture. Very funny and a little accurate. But not always the case. I mean, check me out - I'm a Christian and I posted a blog about a video off YouTube! Oh yeah. I'm down wiv da kidz and hip to that beat daddio.

My only criticism is that they missed a trick not rhyming "gave ya" with "saviour". I'll just have to file that one away for the next time I need to jazz up a sermon illustration. Embrace it, baby.

Scribble On Books!

2009-10-01T13:54:00.004+01:00

I love books. Our house is fast becoming a library. But I don't like writing on them very much. I want to look after them and keep them neat. All that has changed.

Whilst reading one of my Grandpa's old books this morning for a paper I'm writing, I kept wondering what he would have made of it all. The book leans strongly towards infant baptism, something which I disagree with. I kept thinking of him reading the book and wished I could ask him for his thoughts. Then, next to a paragraph about baptism as the continuation of circumcision, I found this...

"This is strongly disputed by many scholars." Too right it is, Grandpa! Whatever your views on baptism, you have to admit that's cool.

So scribble on your books. It may well hugely encourage your grandchildren years in the future!

Takeaway Menu (No, Seriously, Take It Away)

2009-09-09T09:09:00.001+01:00

Kindly received a free menu for a local Chinese takeaway through the post. Item numbers are sometimes listed in ascending, sometimes in descending order, depending on the printers' mood at the time of going to press. There are two sets of 1-20, just in case you particularly enjoy ordering with those low numbers (and aren't fussy about what you end up eating). If you are fussy, eat somewhere else because here are some of my personal favourite dishes on offer:

- Sauteed sea hare with Chinese leek
- Braised greasy back shrimp with egg yolk
- Northeast hodgepodge simmers
- Purple seaweed and egg soup
- Sauteed combination of fresh squid and pig kidney
- Cooked icy shredded potato with sour chilly sauce
- Dry-fried pork intestines
- Husband and wife beef
- Sauteed pork tripe slices with preserved eggs
- Spawn chow mein

Mmmmm. Savour that spawny goodness. Bon apetit!

p.s. Check out when this was posted! 09/09/09 09:09. Simple things...

Encounter: John On The Island MP3

2009-09-08T13:32:00.000+01:00

Continuing our series on encounters with God, here's my sermon on John's first vision of Jesus on Patmos. Taken from Revelation 1:9-20 (place names well read by Andy), it's a challenge to see Jesus as He is today, not just what He was or however else we might imagine Him to be. Listen to it here.

Alt. Graffiti #4: Cardon Copy

2009-09-03T13:14:00.001+01:00

Another bit of guerilla street art for you. Cardon Copy find signs and notices that people have put up in public places ('missing cat' or 'room for rent'), they do a professional looking redesign of the poster and then put it up in it's place! What a great idea! Good for everyone. Better to look at and I'm sure the cats get found and rooms get rented a whole lot quicker too!

So this...

Becomes this...

Fantastic. Check it out on their website here.

(ht: TenDigitLumber)

Becoming An Eggy Genius

2009-08-21T08:56:00.000+01:00

We are looking after some chickens this week. They are producing a ridiculous amount of eggs. I plan to use some to master the art of cracking an egg with one hand. I don't mean karate chopping it, but doing that thing TV chefs do when they hold an egg, knock it on something then break it into a bowl in one swift move like a ninja. Check out the video below to learn these mad skills yourself. If I manage it I will officially be a genius. And I expect to be treated as such. Thanks.

This Rollercoaster Stinks

2009-08-20T09:21:00.010+01:00

This country cannot handle nice weather. As if to prove it, Thorpe Park is banning people from raising their arms whilst riding their rollercoasters due to complaints about body odour! No-one will be refused entry to the park or access to any of the rides, but some will be quietly offered deoderant. A spokesperson also said, "In some extreme cases we may even ask people to move to the back of the train so the whole ride doesn't have to go through a cloud of someone else's BO."

Can you imagine that being your job? "Excuse me, sir, you must be at least this clean to ride the rollercoaster." (Check it out here.)"

Adopting A Radical Idea

2009-08-18T13:21:00.003+01:00

Came across this in a number of places on the blogosphere but had repost it too. A church in Atlanta recently took the bold step of putting their money where their mouth is regarding abortion.

"I make a promise to you now and I don't want you to keep this a secret. The Peachtree Presbyterian Church will care for any newborn baby you bring to this church. We will be the family to find a home for that child, and there's no limit on this. You can tell your friends, you can tell your family, you can tell the whole world."

Fantastic! I believe that all life is precious to God and that Christians are called to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. I believe that we are called to be fathers to the fatherless and to give hope to widows and orphans. I believe that whatever we do for the least of people, Jesus counts it as having done it for Him. I believe that we cannot simply rally against abortion or in favour of adoption. We have to make adoption a viable alternative and show grace to hurting people by opening our homes and lives, not just to host a homegroup once a fortnight, but to give a home to an unwanted child if that is what is needed.

That's what I believe. Is it how I live? Very easy to say. Let's see what actually happens. Praise God for moving people to demonstrate Christ's love in tangible ways.

Encounter: Woman At The Well MP3

2009-08-17T18:34:00.002+01:00

Over the summer at Emmanuel, we're doing a series called Encounter, looking at moments in the Bible when individuals met personally with God. Yesterday I preached on John 4:1-42. An amazing encounter that Jesus had with an ordinary person like you or I, the Samaritan woman at the well.

Have a listen here.

(Bonus points for identifying the song someone was using as a ringtone when their phone went off!)

Great Online Youthwork Resources

2009-07-06T08:45:00.002+01:00

In case you came to this post thinking you'd find links to quality biblical Christian youth work talks, you're going to be disappointed. There aren't any. Not just here. Anywhere.

Why is it that we have hundreds of websites dedicated to great evangelical resources like free sermons, theology lectures, apologetics, Bible study notes, etc. but next to nothing for those working with young people? Is it because no-one records those things? Or is it cos they aren't sharing?

The only stuff out there is rubbish. I won't name names but when the main focus of the session is a clip from a 'hip new film' (like Titanic!) and the Bible doesn't get opened, it's not worth the energy spent typing D O W N W I V D A K I D Z.

Does anyone know of any website where there are materials, example talks, lectures, MP3s or activities for Christian youthwork which don't all end with the application "must try harder" or "be a good kid, don't smoke and try not to get pregnant"? Is anyone on the internet teaching kids about Jesus?! And trying to help others do the same? If not, why not?

Rant over. But it wasn't hypothetical. I really want to know.

Some Deep & Simple Poetry

2009-07-03T09:03:00.000+01:00

Jesus' love is very wonderful.
Jesus' love is very wonderful.
Jesus' love is very wonderful.
Oh wonderful love!

So high you can't get over it.
So low you can't get under it.
So wide you can't get round it.
Oh wonderful love!

Forgotten gems. How often it's the simple songs which would change your life if the words really sunk in.

Greek Underwear ReTweet

2009-07-02T13:04:00.000+01:00

Doing a ReTweet via the blog. Because it's that good.

RT @Andy_Shudall
"Paul Windsor on preaching: Wear yr knowledge of Gk&Hbrw like u wear yr underwear: necessary 4support, bt embarrassing if displayed publicly"

Daniel In (And Out Of!) The Lion's Den MP3

2009-06-30T12:33:00.000+01:00

Preached on Daniel 6 a couple of days ago at Emmanuel. That old classic on the lion's den. Really enjoyed this one. God really is fantastic. I've found it really helpful to think more about the pattern of cross-THEN-resurrection. (On a related note, I'm looking forward to getting stuck into Tim Chester's The Ordinary Hero.) Daniel is no superhero. Just a normal believer getting on with serving God. God is the hero. God is my hero.

Listen to it here.

Alt. Graffiti #3: Guerilla Gardening

2009-06-26T09:00:00.003+01:00

Don't have your own garden? Maybe you do but you're fed up of all the dead space by bus stops, on roundabouts, near blocks of flats and on those bits in the middle of carriageways?

Alternative Graffiti #3: Guerilla Gardening
Overnight they turn pieces of urban wasteland into beautiful gardens. It's what the council should be doing, only it all gets done in one night and doesn't cost you anything!

Alt. Graffiti #2: LED Throwies

2009-06-25T09:00:00.002+01:00

So, another suggestion for public acts of creativity...

Alternative Graffiti #2: LED Throwies
These are made from a lithium battery, a 10mm diffused LED and a rare-earth magnet taped together. (Instructions here!) You then chuck them at things that like magnets. Hooray! It looks like Harrods at Christmas!

Alt. Graffiti #1: Knit The City

2009-06-24T09:00:00.000+01:00

I'm down in London for EMA this week. So I have set a few posts to come up to show how we can make the places we live a little nicer. A few quid, a couple of hours and a load of creativity. Some of these things are technically illegal, but the police and councils tend to actually like it. At least someone is doing something to brighten up the place!

Alternative Graffiti #1: Knit The City
Lib has a book with loads of this stuff in. Car aerial cosies, lampost scarves and the like. Saw some in a little village on holiday too. Lovely stuff.

By The Rivers Of Babylon... MP3

2009-06-23T08:30:00.003+01:00

No, not Boney M. The bits of the Bible that song is based on. How hard it was for God's people to live in exile. And how we face a similar struggle today to "sing the Lord's song in a strange land." We've been looking at Daniel lately at Emmanuel. Here's my sermon on Daniel 1-2. It's all about how God is totally in control and how we are called to live in a hostile world being both involved and distinct.

Read the passage here.

Listen to the MP3 here.

Amazing Church Vision Statement

2009-06-11T08:58:00.001+01:00

Check out this great vision statement for St John's Church, Chelsea. What crystal clear goals and values. Theologically sharp and brilliantly practical. Great for everyone, whether they're used to church or not. Look at the PDF here, or read it below. Excellent. Can individuals have mission statements too? Well, I do now.

ST JOHNS VISION
That the local community will be deeply impacted by the kingdom of Jesus Christ in all of its life.

ST JOHNS GOALS
- We want to give everyone in the local area repeated opportunities to hear the message about Jesus in a form that is attractive and which they can understand.

- We want to make sure that every person in our church fully understands the message about Jesus and its implications for their lives and our world.

- We want to build a genuine and open community of people who follow Jesus and who do practical good to everyone as there is need.

ST JOHNS VALUES
- GOD: We want to get rid of the idea that we as human beings are the centre of the universe, and to make a big deal of how amazing God is and to show that having him as number one is what life is all about.

- GRACE: We want to avoid religiosity and trying to earn God’s acceptance by being good, and rather focus on Jesus’s message of grace and what it says about God and people.

- OTHERS: We want to give up always trying to get our own needs met and to focus on meeting the needs of other people, regardless of their background, behaviour and beliefs.

- CHARACTER: We want to be frank about how flawed and selfish we really are, and to help each other change in our characters by God’s supernatural power.

- MISSION: We want to avoid being insular and self-preoccupied and, instead, take seriously the big questions and issues of those who aren’t Christians, and seek to deal with them properly.

- BIBLE: We want to leave behind our own ideas about God and, instead, take the Bible’s words seriously in everything that we do and look to it for the answers to all our questions.

- LOCAL AREA: We want to not just think about the good of our community of believers, but to focus on the local area and to promote its good in every possible way.

Conversations I Have Every Day

2009-06-01T09:01:00.000+01:00

ME: Morning!
LIB: Morning! Did you sleep well?
ME: I think so. You?
LIB: Yeah, I had a wierd dream...

The weekend alternative
ME: No, don't wake up! Go back to sleep. I was just popping downstairs.
LIB: I've been awake for ages.

LIB: I'm not sure about this outfit. What do you think?
ME: I like it. Is it smart enough?
LIB: That's what I'm worried about.
ME: I think it's nice though. Maybe try it with...

ME: Tea or coffee?
LIB: Tea, please.
ME: I don't know why I always ask.

LIB: I'd better go, I'm going to miss my bus.
ME: Ok.
LIB: Sorry to leave the bowls. Love you.
ME: That's ok. Love you too.

LIB: Have I got toothpaste?
ME: Up in the bathroom, yes.
LIB: Round my mouth?
ME: No.

LIB: I'm home!
ME: He-llo!
LIB: Had a good day?
ME: Errr, yeah, it's been alright. Could have got more done. You?
LIB: Yeah, it was good/very productive/busy/fun.

ME: What did you get up to?
LIB: Me and Fi played this trick on Jason where...

LIB: Dinner's done.
ME: I'll be down in just a sec.

LIB: Where shall we eat?
ME: (checks which is tidiest) The lounge / Let's eat in the kitchen for a change.

ME: Do you want a drink?
LIB: Squash please! I've already got a cup somewhere.

LIB: Are we doing anything later?
either ME: Yes. [insert event here]
LIB: What time do we need to leave?
or ME: I don't think so, no.
LIB: Good.

ME: I was reading this thing earlier...
LIB: Mmmhmm.
ME: And it was saying that...

LIB: Can we switch the heating on or something? I'm chilly.

LIB: Can we switch the heating off? I'm getting really hot.

ME: Have you got everything?
LIB: Yep.
ME: (sets the alarm, locks the door & gets in the car) I left my iPod in the kitchen.

LIB: Is it bedtime?
ME: Err, yeah, ok. Why not?
LIB: I'm really tired.

LIB: Is everything switched off downstairs?
ME: I think so.

LIB: I've been wondering... Why don't moths fly at the sun if they like light so much?/How much would you have to feed someone until they had their own gravitational pull?/When caterpillars turn into butterflies do they have the same memories?, etc.

LIB: What time shall we set the alarm for?
ME: Seven.

LIB: Is the oven definitely off?
ME: You checked it so yes.

LIB: Have you set your alarm?
ME: You just asked me that.
LIB: Just making sure.
ME: Yes, I have. Seven o'clock.

LIB: Shall we pray before we go to sleep?

LIB: Is the front door locked?
ME: Yep.
LIB: Sure?
ME: Yeah, you went down and checked it again after we brushed our teeth.
LIB: Ok. Night.
ME: Night.

There are normally other exchanges in between, but these are the fixed points around which everything else has to fit. I like it.

Are MPs Too Poor?

2009-05-29T09:04:00.000+01:00

No.

Well, that's settled then. The BBC website puts MPs' salaries in context with everyone else's. On another planet. They should get paid a lot because they do a lot of work, but when their expenses alone are only just less than the average income, it shows that this debate is long overdue. And that this is fundamentally about the disconnect (felt and actual) between voters and votees, not just about personal dishonesty when filling in an expense claims form.

Marmite Jesus

2009-05-28T14:15:00.000+01:00

I know you either love Him or hate Him, but this is stretching it a bit.

13 Today

2009-05-27T12:56:00.006+01:00

It's my rebirthday!

I became a Christian 13 years ago in a field. Since then I have let God down countless times. And that's just this morning. Praise God for the grace which brings us to life and sustains us even when we sin like we have a spiritual deathwish. I can see evidences of grace in my life, for which I am grateful, but ultimately we have to cling to the never-changing Saviour for assurance. He must become greater; I must become less. Here's to 13 more and eternity to come!

Not to us, O LORD, not to us,
but to your name give glory
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
(Psalm 115:1)

The Story Of Stuff

2009-05-26T13:27:00.003+01:00

Remembered this video today and thought I'd (finally) link to it. The Story Of Stuff is a great example of clear communication and making complex arguments seem understandable, logical and fresh. If you're into sustainability and equity (hard to say you're not, isn't it?) this is a great little film. And if you aren't, then you really need to see it. Making junk badly, buying too much of it, then burying it in the ground is a really stupid idea. Got any alternatives?

Check out the trailer below then carve out 20 minutes to watch the full video at TheStoryOfStuff.com

Spam - Professional Hair Do!

2009-05-18T18:53:00.000+01:00

Spam often amuses me. Today I had some great spammage. Imagine yourself in a board room throwing ideas around.

1. If you were going to advertise a product - any product - which part of the body might you name it after? The heart? The brain? The hands? The muscles? Probably not your bum.

2. If you were going to advertise a product - namely a hair product - which part of the body might you name it after? The head? More specifically the scalp? Probably not your pits.

Introducing...

BUMPITS! As seen on TV. Which channel was that on?! So many to choose from. Personally, I like large bumpits and I cannot lie...

Free Coldplay Live Album

2009-05-15T13:03:00.000+01:00

Coldplay are giving away a live CD at all their gigs in 2009. Since those are pretty much sold out, they are offering it as a free download until the end of their final gigs this year. Very nice of them.

Get it while it's hot.

LeftRightLeftRightLeft
1. Glass Of Water
2. 42
3. Clocks
4. Strawberry Swing
5. The Hardest Part / Postcards From Far Away
6. Viva La Vida
7. Death Will Never Conquer
8. Fix You
9. Death And All His Friends

Wotsup With Wotsits?

2009-05-14T17:55:00.002+01:00

Real life optical illusion:

It's the same size as a normal packet of crisps, but now Wotsits have turned the design on it's side and it looks totally different. Not entirely sure why they want them to look smaller than their competitors. But how bizarre that no-one in the crisp world has ever before switched the packet to become landscape rather than portrait. A turning point in design history and no-one's even noticed. (EDIT: Not even me. Apparently they switched in 2006. Anyone else been oblivious to this crispy revolution?)

Dyslexics On Fire

2009-05-11T09:03:00.001+01:00

(HT: Ollie Brown for the initial idea.)

The TV Show Name Game

2009-05-08T09:10:00.000+01:00

This morning in the bathroom I came up with a new game. Maybe you'd like to play it.

There is something about the name of TV shows that I love. Some are totally organic like Neighbours. It flows off the tongue, it's clear what kind of show it will be, and you can't tell when in the process they came up with the name.

Other shows (mainly on rubbish digital channels) have ridiculous names which are long sentances, like Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps or I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! or It's Me Or The Dog. With these ones you can tell they spent ages trying to think of something good, couldn't manage it and ended up letting their three year old decide or tossing a coin.

My favourites, however, are when they clearly came up with the name first before the concept, like ITV's Rosemary & Thyme, in which Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme solve garden-related murders. There is no need for them to be called those names but it is so contrived that you can't help but love it. It is in honour of Pam Ferris and Felicity Kendal that I introduce...

The TV Show Name Game!

Basically you think of a phrase that could be a TV show name and then afterwards you invent the TV show that goes with it. Having told Lib about it, she's already better at it than me. Here are some of our efforts over breakfast...

Talk To The Hand
Steve Hand is a regional DJ who is trying to use the medium of talk-radio to impress his estranged childhood sweetheart, Maggie Face, who (as the saying goes) doesn't want to listen.

Forget-Me-Nots
A quiz-com hosted by Charlie Dimmock in which former celebrities compete to become famous again. Suitable for BBC Four as it has a gardening theme, which I think you'll find has never been done before in a quiz show, for some bizarre reason! Rounds include being shown pictures of flowers and having to name them correctly, or having to match the names to the pictures of flowers, or having to give the correct Latin name of flowers, or having to match the English and Latin names, etc.

Crocodile Tears
A sit-com in which cynical mum-of-three, Ali Gator, moans about problems that don't exist or don't really upset her in order to gain an advantage in various situations. Episodes include hijinks at a job interview, hijinks on a bad date, hijinks queue-jumping at Alton Towers. Possible catch-phrase, "See you later..."

Catseyes
Like Animal Hospital but more specific. Hosted by Cat Deeley. Set in a feline opticians.

The Eye Of The Beholder
Steve Beau is a male model who is very superficial. Opening shots include him berating ugly people, being beautiful, etc. One day he is posing with one of those drawers out of a hive for a honey advert when the photographer makes him take off the beekeeper's mask to get a snap of his beautiful face. However, a rogue pair of bees sting him in the eyes. (The eye of the bee-holder, geddit?) With massive irony, his once pretty face is now disfigured and he is blinded temporarily. Whilst in hosptial he is cared for by the lovely yet hideous nurse, Maggie McTee. He falls in love with her personality, but how will he react once the bandages come off his eyes...? (This hasn't got enough mileage for a series but isn't strong enough for a film, which makes it an ideal candidate for a one-off bank holiday ITV drama.)

Every Dog Has His Day
Surprise Surprise for dogs. Hosted by Darren Day.

On & Off
A sit-com about Steve On and Maggie Off, who are electricians. They regularly switch things on and off, turn one another on and off, and cancel appointments at short notice so you don't know whether it's on or off, etc. You might say they have an on-off relationship. With hilarious consequences.

Who's The Daddy?
A gameshow hosted posthumously by the wrestler Big Daddy in which men who think they are cool down the pub compete to be the biggest chav by wearing t-shirts with increasingly lewd and unfunny slogans on. Each show ends with a paternity test a la Jeremy Kyle.

Crumbs!
A sit-com about Steve and Maggie Crumb who run Crumbs Bakery. The are very clumsy with hilarious consequences. Their mistakes lead to the shouting of "Crumbs!" at least 12 times per episode and the production of many crumbs on the floor, leading to a run-in with the health and safety executive. With hilarious consequences.

Over The Moon
Stella Moon runs a new age shop called The Moon, which sells crystals and all that nonsense. She is very excitable as the name suggests and stereotypically 'on another planet'. (Not literally due to budgetary constraints.) Her estranged husband, Steve Moon, still lives in the flat above (or 'over') The Moon. Stella is trying to get over Steve Moon and get a divorce so that she can get over the period of her life as a Moon. Steve Moon however is not over Stella Moon and is all over her. Over and over again. With hilarious consequences.

Try it yourself with the following suggestions:
- A Chip On The Shoulder
- Blessings In Disguise
- Back To The Drawing Board
- Spilt Milk
- Pardon My French
- Funny Farm
- Out On A Limb
- Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
- On The Fence
- Pins And Needles
- Scot-Free
- Zero Tolerance
- You Can't Take It With You
- A Book By It's Cover
- No Way Out

Let me know how you get on. I'm addicted.

Not Them, THEM!

2009-04-28T08:44:00.004+01:00

Having recently finished preaching through Ephesians in church and now embarking on starting it with the 11-14 year olds, I've been slowly chewing my way back over this great letter recently. This morning, while doing a little washing up, the words of Eph 6:12 went round my head.

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Paul is showing these Christians the need to fight and to see what they are up against. Earlier in the letter Paul has already showed that the church is God's wisdom on display to Satan and his armies to show them that they will lose in the end. Satan doesn't like it and will attack the church however he can. So the Ephesians are told to put on the armour God has given them and fight.

BUT... the thing that came to me this morning is that Paul isn't simply raising the stakes here. He is reducing the opposition. He isn't just saying, "You're fighting against Satan, for goodness sake! Don't be so complacent!" He is also saying, "You are not fighting against other people. Those people in your church are your brothers and sisters not your enemies. Those other Christians who you don't see eye to eye with, they are not your target."

Isn't it interesting that Paul begins by saying who they are not wrestling against before he says who they are wrestling against?! After all, what is Satan trying to do when attacking if not divide this church that Christ died to unite?

So, Paul is giving you millions of people less to fight against. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood. That isn't just telling you how much bigger the fight is than you thought; it's also smaller than you thought. Do not wrestle against flesh and blood. But also don't put down your weapons. Lock shields and fight together against Satan.

Sad News

2009-04-15T17:59:00.002+01:00

Libby's dad, Bob, died on Saturday night. He had been battling all manner of illnesses for many years and finally it was time for him to go home to be with Jesus. It's been something we've known was coming for a long time, but it is obviously still a huge blow and we miss him terribly.

We are immensely comforted by the gospel at times like this. To know that Bob trusted in the Lord Jesus to pay for his sins is a great joy. This Easter weekend has been a reminder to us that death is both a terrible enemy and a defeated enemy. Jesus died to take away the sting of death and rose again to give us new life. Because of Christ's certain resurrection, Bob, along with all believers, will definitely have his own resurrection one day.

And in the meantime he is enjoying the delights of God in heaven, where sickness can touch him no longer. Heaven seems so much more real as I imagine Bob excitedly looking around for the first time. He's got forever to soak it up. And we'll join him in a little while to take it all in.

Please pray for us as a family as we adjust. Pray for Lib and Joanne and Tim. We want to thank everybody who has been praying for him over the years. People from Earls Colne, Emmanuel, Duke Street, Spicer Street, UCCF and countless others. In Bob's own words, who needs O2 when you have a prayer network like ours. Thank you so much for all your understanding, kindness, love, support and prayers. Please keep upholding us before the Lord. And praise Him for His goodness at totally subverting death so that it becomes our gateway to His presence. God is good all the time.

Jesus lives and so shall I. Death! thy sting is gone forever,
He who deigned for me to die, Lives the bands of death to sever.

Jesus lives and reigns supreme; And, His kingdom still remaining,
I shall also be with Him, Ever living, ever reigning.

Jesus lives, I know full well, Naught from Him my heart can sever,
Life nor death nor powers of hell, Joy nor grief henceforth forever.

Jesus lives, and death is now But my entrance into glory.
Courage then, my soul, for thou Hast a crown of life before thee.

He shall raise me from the dust, Jesus is my hope and trust.
He alone my joy, my prize. Jesus lives and so shall I.
Jesus lives and so shall I.

Post-A-Post-It #4 (Empty)

2009-04-12T08:30:00.001+01:00

Who Wants The Rose?

2009-04-10T09:00:00.005+01:00

Praise God this Easter that Jesus wants the rose. He wants to take sinful, hopeless, unloveable people and love them. They should call this Great Friday.

(ht: Abraham Piper)

Miscarriage Of Justice

2009-04-09T09:10:00.006+01:00

If you had to vote on the best album of all time (well, since 1981 anyway), what would make your list?

MTV just announced the winners of the poll and it's a little surprising. As always, the list is more of a reflection of what people like at the minute than a genuine take on the past 28 years, but let's look at the top 10.

10. Back To Black - Amy Winehouse
9. Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not - Arctic Monkeys
8. The Joshua Tree - U2
7. Definitely Maybe - Oasis
6. (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
5. Nevermind - Nirvana
4. OK Computer - Radiohead
3. Appetite For Destruction - Guns 'n' Roses
2.
1. Thriller - Michael Jackson

So what took the coveted second place in MTV's Best Albums Of All Time (Est. 1981) list? (drumroll please...)

Born To Do It - Craig David

No, that wasn't a typo. Craig David's two-step garage album Born To Do It (featuring such classics as Fill Me In, 7 Days, Rewind and Walking Away) took the silver medal. And Craig himself is keen to play down any sense in which the votes were rigged or that it was a joke played by some pranksters who wanted to put an obviously mediocre pop relic high in the charts. Well, he would wouldn't he? He modestly declares, "That album meant so much to British music at the time, it was a whole movement." If he does say so himself. Read it here.

Now, what do they say about number twos...?

That's Easter! - Death To Life

2009-04-08T10:05:00.002+01:00

That's Easter! - Life To Death

2009-04-07T11:01:00.001+01:00

Think Minority Report (And Then Some!)

2009-04-03T10:04:00.000+01:00

I didn't post this on the day I came across it because I didn't want it to look like an April Fool's joke! This technology is absolutely insanely amazing. It's a talk from TED and here's their blurb:

"This demo - from Pattie Maes' lab at MIT, spearheaded by Pranav Mistry - was the buzz of TED. It's a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Imagine Minority Report and then some."

With Parents & The Boss MP3

2009-04-02T08:45:00.000+01:00

I preached on Sunday morning on Ephesians 6:1-9. Check out the MP3 here.

It was really great to chat with people afterwards about what difference the gospel will make in their lives in really practical terms. Also funny that the one thing pretty much everyone I spoke to picked up in the sermon as something for them to do as homework was a bit of an accident! During my preparation, I was thinking about how the passage tells dads not to exasperate their kids. I was trying to come up with examples. So I wrote the following:

"What kinds of things frustrate kids about their parents? Ask them!"

That was a note to self to remind me to speak to a few teenagers and ask their opinion. When I came to actually putting the sermon together, this note had crept into the normal text of the talk. When I read through the paragraph again, the same sentence above suddenly became an application to the parents present to have a conversation with their kids about things they might need to change. I thought it might work so I left it in. You never can tell which bits of a sermon are going to connect with people.

Anyway, have a listen if you want. (Listen out for the futuristic robot noises in the background.)

Are You Psychic?

2009-04-01T08:30:00.002+01:00

On this April Fool's Day, here's a helping hand with a prank for you to do one someone. I realise that posting this up here means I probably won't be able to use it on anyone I know, but there are some sacrifices one has to make in life. Watch the video below which explains how it works, then click on the link to have a practise yourself. Then trick somebody gullible. It's so childish but I love it.

Click here to go to the prank video itself.

* update - Did it on Lib. She was pretty proud of her abilities. Pride comes before a fall...

Did Darwin Kill God? - trailer

2009-03-31T12:37:00.004+01:00

Check out the trailer for this programme on the BBC tonight. (Click here to go to BBC website.) It's a Christian arguing for evolution. I'll be very interested to see how both the extremes of atheism and young earth creationism are handled on national TV! Great to get the conversation going.

Did Darwin Kill God? - BBC2 tonight at 7pm.

Choose Wife

2009-03-31T09:00:00.001+01:00

Work has taken over somewhat in the last few days. I've not been able to be around for Lib as much as I should have been. So it was great on Sunday to go out for lunch together with friends from church. And it was great to relax in the afternoon. We planted loads of veg in the garden. We hung out together. We watched Mission Impossible III.

And she came up with a new slogan. Studying Ephesians at church lately has really pressed home the need for me as a husband to live more sacrificially towards Lib; laying down my life for her, just like Jesus does for the church. So to help me do that, when I'm working out what to do next or making a plan, I'm going to try and remember...

Choose Wife is already being really helpful to me, and I pray it's a blessing to Lib. Maybe it might be a good thing for you too. Unless, like me, the film Trainspotting is so much in your head that the next words inevitably popping into your mind are Ewan McGregor saying, "I chose not to choose wife. I chose something else..."

Repackaging The Greats #30

2009-03-30T09:03:00.000+01:00

Holy Spirit, Batman! It's...

Does Satan Exist? - The Debate

2009-03-27T13:01:00.001Z

Mark Driscoll and Annie Lobert debate Deepak Chopra and Carlton Pearson on the existence of Satan. The video keeps messing up on the official ABCnews site, so watch it on the YouTube clips below.

Driscoll is the only truly convincing person on the stage, bringing biblical, logical, challenging and consistant views to the others. Annie Lobert very bravely gives her personal testimony but gives Satan too much credit, making him take the blame for other people's sins. We need to take responsibility for our own sins and stop blaming the devil every time we or others mess up. In general, her emphasis on experience at the expense of other ways of knowing let the side down a little, but over all she contributed well.

However, in my opinion, the opposition did not provide very much robust debate. I was shocked to hear how often Carlton Pearson contradicted himself, speaking of knowing Satan did not exist but still believing in (and exorcising!) demons. He seemed like a pure showman, casting out evil spirits in the name of Jesus because that's what the people expect him to do.

Deepak Chopra also spouted the usual new age nonsense that does not stand up to the slightest scrutiny. Driscoll helpfully challenged these views saying that good and bad can't be all part of the same oneness and that the opposition wouldn't feel that way if he went over and slapped them. Some things are just evil. Gang rape is bad and you can't just brush it off as part of the same cosmic circle as love. Where do we get these categories of right and wrong from? There was a little too much of the old what's-true-for-you-isn't-true-for-me to make it a strong case against the existence of Satan.

One question from the floor summed up Chopra's nonsensical arguments for me...
AUDIENCE: "You said that all belief is a cover-up for insecurity. You believe that?"
CHOPRA: "Yes."
AUDIENCE: "Thank you." (sits down)

Very good to watch, even if not the best discussion on the actual topic! Great to be engaging with pluralistic worldviews. Plus, Driscoll said Jesus so many times they couldn't edit Him out of the show! Enjoy below.

PART ONE

PART TWO

PART THREE

PART FOUR

PART FIVE

PART SIX

PART SEVEN

PART EIGHT

PART NINE

PART TEN

What Is Twitter?

2009-03-25T09:11:00.004Z

I have to admit that I am a big fan of Twitter. It's a fun way to keep in touch. You see another side of people. It's creative (well, it can be). It's made me enjoy blogging again. Gavin, this is for you. If you don't know what Twitter is, watch the video below. Or why not just sign up and start following people. (Please note, that following is not the same as stalking. For that, try Facebook.)

My Twitter page is twitter.com/nathanburley in case you care.

Beatbox Recipe

2009-03-24T10:12:00.000Z

Genius. I'm strangely jealous.

(ht: Josh Harris)

Post-A-Post-It #3 (Humpty)

2009-03-23T09:15:00.000Z

Repackaging The Greats #29

2009-03-20T09:30:00.001Z

No-One Told Us There Would Be Fish In The Sea...

2009-03-19T09:58:00.003Z

...and 19 other ridiculous holiday complaints.

I ♥ Quiche

2009-03-16T05:20:00.000Z

At yesterday's church lunch, there was not a quiche to be found anywhere. This is fine. It's good to see the Reformation isn't over and change is still possible in the Church. However, I do love quiche. I'm not ashamed of that. And not even in a metrosexual way. I love quiche in a decidedly masculine way. Recently I found this video which confirms my views. I hope you'll agree, that quiche is a man's best friend. (I love RatherGood.com but be aware that it is regularly rude. Not all of it as you can see below, but you have been warned!)

Dear Richard...

2009-03-13T09:02:00.001Z

I've been meaning to post this for ages. Honestly one of the funniest things I've read in a long time. It's a complaints letter to Virgin for the terrible food on a flight. Comes with disturbing images of revolting food.

"What is this? Why have I been given it? What have I done to deserve this? And, which one is the starter, which one is the desert?"

Read on here.

Sugary Coffee

2009-03-12T13:45:00.000Z

An opinion I've held for a while but not expressed often.

If you need sugar in your coffee, just admit that you don't like coffee and ask for a hot chocolate.

A Monstrous Psychadelic Bubble Exploding In Your Mind

2009-03-11T14:48:00.005Z

Wow. The new Amorphous Androgynous remix of Oasis' new single Falling Down. 22 minutes of jaw-dropping drums, sitars, samples, flutes, orchestras... Just listened to it in one go. I suddenly realised that I was dancing. I couldn't help it.

The whole thing is fantastic, but every few minutes the whole thing shifts and knocks your socks off. There's a beautiful piano section about halfway through with an effect that makes Noel Gallagher sound like a Gregorian monk. The strings soar. The bassline pumps. The aliens invade. All is quiet as the last cellist on earth laments. I know it sounds pretentious, but if you get caught in the ebb and flow of the song it's genuinely emotional. And the final two minutes! The drums kick off like a bomb and everything gets sucked into an operatic wasteland, complete with circling vultures, spitting you out with a glockenspiel's 'ping'!

Very exciting. Only available on 12" vinyl or as part of a bundle on iTunes. I already had the other songs in the bundle, but it was well worth it.

The Idol Behind The Idol

2009-03-11T08:54:00.001Z

We often talk about how money is an idol. Fair enough, we're in good company. But sometimes there's an idol behind the idol. The true test of whether money is our ultimate idol is what we spend our money on when we get it. Do we frantically save it? The idol is probably a desire to control our lives. Do we give it away in public displays? The idol is possibly a desire to be thought of as a good person. Do we spend it on unneccesary extravagance? Could be comfort, or power, or trying to impress certain people.

It seems to me that the essence of getting under the skin is always asking why and looking further back. Go beyond "Don't steal." Why do you steal? Perhaps it so you can have stuff you can't afford. Why do you want that stuff? Because everyone else has it. Why does it matter so much that everyone else has it? Because you always had less than everyone else as a kid. Why did that bother you so much? Because you took it as a sign that your parents didn't love you as much as other kids' parents loved their children. Maybe this person's stealing comes from more than covetousness, but the idol behind the idol is an over-desire for love that makes them do things they know are wrong.

Bring in Jesus, the one who shows the Father's love in the extreme! Hit the idol behind the idol. Then go to the gospel where God offers freedom and satisfaction in ways that idols could never even begin to.

Nitty-Gritty Unity MP3

2009-03-10T10:23:00.001Z

New sermon from Sunday on Ephesians 4:30-5:2. Learning How To Walk 2 - Christlike Forgiveness: Nitty-Gritty Unity. Excessive use of dashes and colons in the title. Not quite puritan length yet though. I'll get there eventually. Listen here.

(Just realised I didn't link to my last sermon at Emmanuel. God Makes Two Into One from Ephesians 2:11-22. Listen here.)

Repackaging The Greats #28

2009-03-09T09:15:00.000Z

Enigma! Of Course!

2009-03-05T01:05:00.001Z

I've been going mental for weeks trying to remember that song from the 90's which is kind of dancey but has a tribal kind of chant at the start. You know! The one that goes, "Ai ai ai oh ai ai ai oh ai oh ai ai ai oh ai ai!" And so on and so forth ad intinitum. There's a ridiculous guitar solo in there too somewhere. Some have suggested that such a monstrous hybrid of a song could never exist. I too started to doubt my sanity. (Or wonder whether I had actually written the song myself in a dream, a la Paul McCartney and Yesterday.)

Then I had a big break through. Out of nowhere I remembered No More I Love You's by Annie Lennox. So I looked it up (here) and was gutted to discover that it goes "dooby dooby doob doob doob ahh" not "ai ai ai oh ai ai ai oh ai oh ai ai ai oh ai ai". A huge difference, you must admit.

Since then it's been gnawing away at my brain. I've tried googling it but unsurprisingly it came back with either the wrong song ('ai' and 'oh' seem to be quite common lyrics), foreign websites, or websites of a dubious nature where people apparantly might say 'ai' or 'oh'.

Today I tried again, this time on Yahoo! answers. And it's Return To Innocence by Enigma! Of course it is! Boy oh boy, I hope this means I can stop singing that song. FREEDOM!

Oh what! Now, I have a song by Joey McIntyre from New Kids On The Block stuck in my head that I haven't been able to find for ages. Wikipedia says he didn't do solo stuff until way after the one in my head. But I know I had a tape of the album from my sister back in primary school.

BREAKTHROUGH! I just had an epiphany. It wasn't Joey McIntyre. It was Joey Lawrence off the TV show Blossom. It's called Nothing My Love Can't Fix and is cheesiest pop video in the world. Rapping, graffiti, no shirt on. Crikey.

How did people function before the internet? Everyone must have been shivering wrecks, travelling the world desperately humming old songs at each other hoping that another human being somewhere can put a name to it. Hooray for YouTube!

Suffering Is A Sheepdog

2009-03-04T09:00:00.002Z

Joni Eareckson Tada on a theology of suffering. Her talk begins around 5mins in. Powerful, emotional, God-glorifying stuff. Suffering screams at us, "Go to the cross, because there just ain't no other place to go." (HT: Justin Taylor)

Repackaging The Greats #27

2009-03-02T12:15:00.001Z

Player-Coach

2009-02-19T10:51:00.004Z

The call to 'full-time ministry' shouldn't be like the change from a spectator to a player, but from player to player-coach. Now that would change the whole game!

Uncomfort

2009-02-18T12:28:00.004Z

It keeps striking me that as soon as you become a Christian you are destined to be uncomfortable. There are two types of uncomfortable:

#1. Feeling guilty for ignoring the tugs on your heart. Being too much at home in this life and knowing deep down that you shouldn't be, so you end up feeling totally homeless.

#2. Feeling tired from being constantly stretched by God. Knowing that you have a home in the new creation but that you are not there yet.

Those are the options. Not a comfort option in sight. I am desperate to be more and more type-two uncomfortable. The only way to grow is by being stretched. The only way to have a permanent home is to give up this one and wait.

I hardly ever blog now because I have way too many things whizzing round my head. When I had a reasonable idea only every other day I could blog it. Must keep thinking about this. But then stop thinking and start living uncomfortably!

Life In Technicolor ii

2009-01-24T19:20:00.003Z

One of the best music videos I've seen in a long time. It's Coldplay's Life In Technicolor ii from their EP, Prospekt's March. When I initially heard the first instrumental version of the song, I wanted to put some words to it. Thankfully they did it instead. Enjoy the puppet show!

A Theist Bus Advert

2009-01-22T18:24:00.004Z

Post-A-Post-It #2 (Tipex)

2009-01-19T08:25:00.000Z

Driscoll Unleashed MP3

2009-01-15T18:04:00.002Z

Having blogged about contextualisation yesterday, I thought I'd link to a great example of it. I blogged about Mark Driscoll Unleashed in the UK back in July straight after the event. It was a very stimulating evening. Anyway, the MP3 is now out. It's probably been out for ages, but I only just spotted it. Give it a listen here. Have a look at my July reflections to get a sense of it. Superb stuff on Acts 17. Be challenged!

p.s. My one negative on the session having listened to it again is that at 11mins 59secs, he calls the two big Scottish cities, "Glass-cow and Edin-burrow". When will Americans learn that Birrrrming Ham is is Alabama, but BermingGuhm is in England?!

Obsessed With Relevance

2009-01-14T18:11:00.005Z

Carl Trueman has written some fascinating stuff on evangelicalism's obsession with being 'culturally relevant'. I am currently writing an essay on signs of contextualisation in the New Testament, so this is a great counterpoint to much of what I'm reading. Have a look and ask yourself if you would rather go to (or give) the seminar on the Apostle's Creed or watching films Christianly? And why? Is the person who strives to be relevant doomed to be more irrelevant eventually?

Read it at Reformation21 here.

I Must Be Mental

2009-01-07T12:32:00.001Z

What does this say about me? Today I read the terrible news story that Marks & Spencer will be closing 25 of their food stores and 2 of their normal ones. This means 780 shop workers will lose their jobs, on top of a planned axing of 450 office positions. (Read about it here.)

1,230 jobs cut.

And my first reaction was, "Why couldn't they cut 4 more so then it'd be 1,234 jobs. That's a nicer number." Just like my favourite time is 12:34 (preferably on a digital watch at 56 seconds). That's not right is it?