Still pondering lots of things from Blah which is good.
Thinking about content, style and make up of the group.

Off work for a week now - so blogging frequency will reduce dramatically!

Just back from Blah event at CMS. Andrew Jones was doing his Forward Slash presentation. I'll say more later (tomorrow?) - but plenty to think about. Just one comment at this stage and that is thinking about institutional vs relational commitment and belonging. Trying to put that together with Jo Myers thoughts on "spaces" for belonging and my Baptist church's working on what means to be a "member".

Interesting on the train home, chatting with a friend about the proceedings to be interupted by a fellow commuter, also a Christian,struggling with his church commenting that he doesn't often hear young(ish) males talking theology on the train!

Not much to blog about today!
Tried to catch up on admin - I'm so not good at that, too easily distracted!

RESULT!
yes very pleased to see England won the cricket! Caught the last 10 minutes on TV - enough to see the victory!

Good to meet Si Johnston today. He blogs here. Heard about latest developments on Oasis Frontline teams and also a bit about stuff happening at church.co.uk. All good stuff!
I did a Frontline team back in 1994 at an excellent church The Fold in Gateshead. It was an awesome experience.

At Waterloo station on the way home there was an announcement to evacuate - but Londoners tend not to head these things so I went and got the train anyway. We're either foolish or resilient!?!

Had a good time at a church in Hayes yesterday.
One of the things that's interesting (to me anyway!) going to different churches is the offering (or more often the "collection"). Its the easiest thing to get wrong as every church has their own variation (stewards, no stewards, when to pray etc). Yesterday they did it without passing the bags round which confused me!
I'm actually a fan of no collection - as most people give by standing orders etc. these days anyway - but then maybe that divorces giving from the "worship" environment?



Whatever the case money is an issue for Christians! Both my jobs hinge on giving - which itself raises questions about support of "ministry". Somehow we're not good at talking about these things! Not sure what the way foward is but my feeling is that its not to get heavy about "tithing"! (see Stuart Murray's excellent Beyond Tithing)

NW London was the focus of today - 3 events (Harlesden, Willesden and Wembley).
This evening's was a soul in the city celebration. It seemed to be a good mix of majority black and white churches - both in the "audience" and on the stage. Got to be a good thing!
Noel Robinsons worship leading was funky & inspiring!

Good rant about the Left Behind series of books over at Jonny Bakers blog. Sorry if you're a fan!

Over the last week of so I have updated the Resources - downloads page at www.lbayouth.org. This now includes a couple of powerpoints and the material I blogged about preparing for last Sunday as a "ready to use" type session!

Elswhere in the world, England have made a typically mixed start to the test match (Cricket). Come on we can't let the Kiwi's beat us!

I should be working hard right now - preparing talks and stuff for the weekend. Yet playing around with the Blog seems like more fun! How easy it is to get distracted when working on your own!

Negativity
Today I was aware of the danger of negativity.
Also the fine line between being "realistic" and appearing "negative" or "lacking faith".
Its a tough balance!
"Cynics for Jesus" anyone?

Michael Quicke's 360 Degree Preaching continues to be an excellent read.
He says some interesting things about preaching in changing times.

"Renewed spirituality and holistic engagement with scripture should lead to new expression that involves symbol, image, experience, modulation, participation and intuition. Electronic technology is misunderstood when treated as a fashionable, superficial means to spruce up tired, lifeless language" (p118).

Privileged to be part of some interesting conversations today.

One was about persecution and consumerism - which led to talking about incarnation vs "raid and retreat" mission styles. How do we engage in a way that is Kingdom? What should be our relationship to "consumer culture"? What is it to be "persecuted for righteousness" in London today?

The second was around the mix that is London church life, and the potential for a "new" or emerging theology. What if we heard the voices of the charismatic/pentecostal, the African, the community emphasis (e.g. Anabaptist), the ritual/ancient practices etc?
What could emerge?
This is an exciting place to be!

We was robbed!
Another disappointing result at the Eurovision song contest!
Still we can only hope for better things with the football...

Strange to have a cold kicking around when summer seems to be kicking in!
I even postponed a meeting today - rearranged though!
The meeting was due to be at the church.co.uk centre.

Feel a bit like I'm back being a volunteer "Sunday" youth leader today - as I'm preparing a session for a church youth group on Sunday. Always a bit unnerving preparing for a session when you have never met the young people, have no idea of the room size, gender balance, ethnic mix etc. But still in at the deep end!
So much youthwork depends on relationship its a bit strange going in cold.

Apart from that been helping some colleagues move office today - change keeps rolling on!

There are some thought provoking articles at the www.christiancounterculture.com or Antithesis sites (same thing). Not everyone will like the blatant evangelical & reformed theology - but never the less an interesting approach to some issues, trying to be biblical and relevant.
Their manifesto raises and interesting issue:
todays Christian culture is destroying Christianity.
One to think about I think!

Blackcurrant Lempsip is my new best friend!

Went to the Christian Resources Exhibition It was "resourcing youthwork day" apparently! I go hopeful every year yet inevitably come away disappointed murmuring about Christian consumerism gone mad. Still maybe if I had bought that cassock...

Despite the above the plan is not to moan too much here - there seems to be quite a lot of negativity around the Christian blogs - or is it helpful dissatisfaction? And is there a difference?

Not functioning on all cylinders today due to a cold (aaah)!
Thought it might be a good time to retry the blogging thing - early attempts were short lived though!