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, PJ didn’t preach at “Together on a Mission”. In truth, however, he preached not just once but twice. He delivered his first preach via a text message which Terry Virgo read out to the conference. He described finding the lump, his painful biopsy and the way he was navigating his way through this crisis with his wife and three young sons. Then he ended his text-message sermon with a simple statement: “We worship while we wait.” It was as powerful a preach as anything he could have delivered in person.

PJ’s second ‘preach’ came at the very end of the conference, again by text message. The results of the biopsy, five thousand people listened and prayed for good news. PJ shared in his text message that the results had been utterly disappointing. The lump was indeed lymphoma. He has cancer and is now undergoing chemotherapy. Then he concluded his second message with a cry of faith: “Blessed hurricane,” he said, “that blows us closer to God.” Even on the morning that he discovered he had cancer, PJ Smyth still exuded faith in his mighty God. It will be forever one of the finest sermons he might ever preached.

I find PJ’s example very challenging, humbling and a lots else, and hopefully you do too. He was echoing the words of Hudson Taylor, who in the midst of great tragedy declared that “It doesn’t matter how great the pressure is. What really matters is whether it comes between you and God or whether it presses you nearer his heart.”

So whatever trials and difficulties may face us today, let’s learn from the example of PJ Smyth, Hudson Taylor and the real-life up-close examples of faith around us. Let’s worship while we wait and somehow find the trust and praise of God for his blessed hurricanes which drive us closer into him. As PJ explained at the end of his text message: “I am secure in the fortress of Romans 8:28 – We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Divided about how you see God, yet very united in relationship….! It is wonderfully possible?

Ways to fight loneliness in leadership,……

Great writing advice from CS Lewis!

Brilliant holiday advice: re eating and sleeping ratios!

Gordon McDonald, offers a way to debrief with God and stay connected….

Eugene Peterson’s timeless wisdom living from Jeremiah!

John Piper’s epic advice to emerging leaders…

The LICC’s very helpful discipleship blog-conversation

Mark Driscoll on the uniquely family perogative of the local church…

and, lastly….  Fonts and faith….. you’re allowed an opinion (!!) but never ‘Times New Roman’….. please! tastefully I beseech you!!

A W Tozer

Procastination is considered a sin, according to Joe Thorn

Success v Blessing, helpfully explored by Pete Wilson

Bishop Tom Wrights closing preach in Durham, calling for a renewed passion for social justice.

Marilynne Robinson speaks helpfully about the unity of science and faith.

Great leadership checks for working with young adults. A classic list…..

The brilliant free global ministry-leadership event, the nines, scheduled for late September. Register and it’s yours!

ps. I’ll try to work out a way to refund you the 4minutes of your life, if it doesn’t do something useful!,… and don’t let the first 20seconds put you off!

“Community is like a large mosaic. Each little piece seems so insignificant. One piece is bright red, another cold blue or dull green, another warm purple, another sharp yellow, another shining gold. Some look precious, others ordinary. Some look valuable, others worthless. Some look gaudy, others delicate. As individuals stones, we can do little with them except compare them and judge their beauty and value. When, however, all these little stones are brought together in one big mosaic portraying the face of Christ, who would ever question the importance of any one of them? If one of them, even the least spectacular one, is missing, the face is incomplete. Together in the one mosaic, each little stone is indispensable and makes a unique contribution to the glory of God. That’s community, a fellowship of little people who together make God visible in the world.”

Teach us now, take away all fear, dare to let us believe that we could really be a small part of a reconstructed society, that we could build again.
Take away our own cynicism.
Take away our lack of hope.
Take away our own anger and judgments.

We thank you for the faith and the desire that is in our hearts. You have planted it there.
Now help us to preserve it, protect it and increase it.

We long for vision, good God. We need vision and we know we will perish without it. Help us open each new day to a new meaning, to a new hope, to a deeper desiring. Show us your face, loving God, and we will be satisfied. We ask for this in all the holy names of God. Amen.

from Hope Against Darkness, p.107

“I don’t know what your destiny will be but one thing I do know: The only ones among you who will be happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”
-French physician Albert Schweitzer