Categories: current affairs

• bad harmony

  Did you hear that three-piece squawk painfully on weekend TV? Did you see the shame and courage, the attempts and the misery that the early episodes of the X-factor (inevitably) induce? They are incredible (mad-bad-incredible!) examples of what happens when you surround yourself with people who are not wiling to speak truth. Do you reckon each one of these people sat with friends and family and belted out those songs: that  someone actually heard them and then said, “That’s so [...]

• Rev. and that….

  I’ve really enjoyed Rev right from it’s tv-start… and I’m always prone to comedy but this rarely co-exists  with faith! The Vicar archetype has long been a staple of British Comedy for years, so it’s relativity familiar territory for the viewer. Yet here in Rev Rev Adam Smallbone is a grittier, less pious, more realistic representation of the model, and the show is based deep in urban London, away from the pastoral idyll settings we so often see televisionally-representated! At [...]

• blessed hurricane

  I attended “Together on a Mission” conference, a few years ago and have always appreciated some of the podcasts coming out from this New Frontiers conference. Yet this year the most moving and challenging preach of all was brought by someone who wasn’t even there. PJ Smyth leads GodFirst Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, a 5-year old church plant.  He was scheduled to speak this year in Brighton but withdrew hours before travelling, due to a cancer scare. Technically, therefore, [...]

• ,….really?!

  I saw this recently,….. imagine being the receptionist,… “Hi, it’s……!!”

• random ruminations

  This nugget, from Pete Wilson / Rob Bell about how preaching is provoke a whole new way of living!! ohhh yes….. Qualities of next-level leaders: hate-the-term, but believe in the substance of this!! Another principled reason I SO respect Steve Jobs! Apple rules…. Loving God, the world and God’s purposes….. Uncommon-wisdom! Samson-esque reasoning as to Rooney, and England’s demise! Arn’t we glad that, that-month-is over?!! A refreshing brilliant creative TED, 20minute talk, by Elizabeth Gilbert! , and this great quoteable [...]

• curious recruitment,…

  In this season of seeking and searching out…… I was intrigued by this Pastoral leadership job description: direct quote coming up! The WOMB Life Coaching Center is a growing Church that started one year ago. In keeping with the original vision of the church, Pastor XX (a black pastor) is seeking a co-pastor (a white pastor) to work completely co-equally with to show forth a demonstration of unity to the Body of Christ. ps not actually called Pastor double-X!!!

• loved,… and thankful

  I love the freshness of this:-  “Thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness.” Psalm 138:2, The Message We give more applause to a team playing a 90-minute-kick-about than to the maker of creation. We have more hopes in lanky-lumpy footballers than we do to the God who made us! We sing more songs in raw-curious-national-jingoistic-pride than to Jesus Christ who saved us . . .!! Though we may not act like our Father, there is no greater [...]

• contextless links

  A possible sound-effect for church stimulis, world-cup inspired?!! Church ‘death’ always (but rarely) produces Kingdom life! A great merger story…. Truly as Dietrich Bonhoeffer once wrote: “One act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons.” A glorious global phenomena, only in London! Great concept! A few more of my recent book-reviews, are posted on Amazon: very many-more too follow…. Andrew Murray’s brilliant Surrender-writing and other goodies, free on pdf…. In my tea-drinking life,… was amused at this Metro story,… [...]

• catch-up

  Coaching the greatness in others is immense fun / Trusting God is the thinnest and truest geography / Pain reminds you of what is real / Eating vegetables is what my new friend Rob advises / There’s never anything better than the joy of giving/ Being up against the wall is the place where you prove what is true / Protein-meats are still never as much fun or good-taste as red-meat!! / I’m enjoying my next season of exploring what [...]

• random ruminations

  best cv info-format? stunning pizzicato work on my favourite instrument, all bias aside! A compelling community sharing resource,…. Discerning God’s call…… Jack rocks, Logan is tortured,… but the end is here for 24: series 8 definitely the best! Precious visuals from ’60′s CCM,….. a giggle indeed God’s word ever-secure! DA Carson quote…. Frugality is a challenge,… some sugguestions!