I WAS ASSAULTED - WHERE WAS GOD?

One Sunday evening, I was mugged on my way home.

(I did get my Nando’s card back – yay!)

Following the incident, I started to question God:

• Where was he?
• Why would he let this happen to me?
• I thought he loved me?

I felt very alone and needed answers. Why hadn't God rescued me?

A bearded friend sent me a short yet nourishing verse, “I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

Suddenly, I realised why I couldn't feel or see God’s comfort or care that day.

He is actually always there, whether or not I sense him. When I call out to him, he'll never fail me.

God doesn't take away hard times, but we can certainly find strength and hope knowing that he will always be with us and will help us through.

If we have gone through life trusting in our own judgement, we may find it harder to submit to God and his plan for us. If we refuse to see God’s hand and direction in our lives, we may never know just how good he can be to us.

“Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8)

We will definitely face many hard times. Some of these are inevitable and beyond our control, but these can be endured with God’s help. Some of our anguish and affliction is self-imposed and can be avoided, yet God still offers peace as we gather the courage to make the necessary changes in our lives.

God’s forgiveness and affectionate approval can give us peace as we face hard times, even when the hurting we face is our very own fault.

He has the authority to guide us down the path of life; he has already conquered all the barriers that stand in the way!

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

WAITING IS CHALLENGING. HERE'S HOW TO MAKE IT JOYFUL...

Waiting is one of my least favourite things in life.

Whether it's in a queue at the supermarket, waiting for results from an important exam or for an answer to prayer, I feel the same old tension build up inside.

These days I can get almost anything I can think of the next day on Amazon Prime, any kind of food I want delivered to my house within the hour, or rent a movie instantly without needing to get up off my sofa. Technology is moving forward at such an astonishing rate that the next faster, more advanced gadget always seems to come out straight after we get the previous one.

It's no wonder we can start to get frustrated when the rest of life doesn't work out that way and we have to wait on something.

But when we think about God's view of time we see some pretty different thinking.

God is outside of time. He isn't constrained by it, and he knows the end from the beginning – nothing comes as a surprise to him. If he knows the end, and I don't, why do I think that my expectations on timing might be better than his?

What does our struggle with waiting say about who we think we are?

So much of our identity is in what we do, the measurable and achievable.

Noise and activity, not silence and waiting.

We often have nothing to show for our waiting, and this is uncomfortable. But waiting gives me a unique opportunity to pause and look inside and see what I really believe about myself. Brennan Manning talks about this in his book Abba's Child:

‘Our longing to know who we really are - which is the source of all our discontent - will never be satisfied until we confront and accept our solitude. There we discover the truth that we are the beloved. We are often so busy trying to prove to ourselves that we are loved that we do not hear God telling us he loves us. Silence is not simply the absence of noise, but rather a process of coming to inner stillness, and this requires waiting.’ (My paraphrase)

So how can we wait well?

These three concepts have challenged and helped me recently in the things I'm waiting for and I hope they can help you too:

1. God is always working good things in me even when I’m waiting – I don't need to wait until I've arrived for this. ‘There has never been the slightest doubt in my mind that the God who started this great work in you would keep at it and bring it to a flourishing finish on the very day Christ Jesus appears.’ Philippians 1:6
2. God is never late. And his timing is focused not on the transient results that I look for, but things that matter for eternity. ‘The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people's conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.’ 2 Peter 3:9
3. And most importantly, completely aside from whether you're waiting or not, and whatever is or isn't happening in our lives, we can be sure of this one thing: He is with us. ‘I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.’ Matthew 28:20

Sometimes we have to make a choice about how we want to face these seasons of waiting and uncertainty. I love the attitude of this quote I recently came across:

‘Let's find the unknown irresistible, let's sit in its calming presence and be glad that we are never 'lost' but wandering with purpose, excited, free, expectant. Loving the mystery of it all.’

#ND16

Last month I spent a week at Newday festival in Norfolk. We were under canvas with around 1,000 other adults creating a safe place for over 5,000 12-18 year olds from churches across the UK (and a couple from the Netherlands).

A space to worship, pray and celebrate, and to learn about a God who is alive and fully relevant to their lives.

I found it a great privilege to be there. It was hot and sunny, and windy, and the positive attitude of everyone I met spoke volumes of their faith and passion for Jesus.

I wrote this while lazing under a tree thinking through what I had seen.

#ND16

This is what you came for...
Queues for showers
while you chat.
Hedgehogs and balloons
both going splat.
High-flying paint
on winds of change.
Great food smells
and others more strange.
Volley ball pitches
expanding as needed.
Praying for others,
strongholds defeated.
Songwriting and painting
on paper and faces.
Dodgems and climbing,
voices and praises.
This what you came for -
A Newday Generation.

If you have children that qualify by age, or if you have a week that you can give to helping make Newday happen, I recommend it.

100%.

Please ask for more information at Redeemer on any Sunday at Ealing Town Hall 10 am.

HOW DINNER IN EALING COULD CHANGE THE MIDDLE EAST

We recently went on our first family holiday abroad – to France.

France has lovely weather, beautiful countryside, delicious food…and a language that I don’t understand.

I never did French at school, so I used up pretty much my entire vocabulary by the time we’d shown our passports.

Swapping between languages can be fun (like listening to French songs written in English – the music’s fine but the words are appalling!) and very frustrating.

Interpretation is clearly a skill, and it’s something that’s very relevant to the modern world. The Middle East has been dreadfully affected over the last few years by an interpretation of Islam that is entirely different from the interpretations practiced by my Muslim friends. The same could be said of those who interpreted Christianity in such a way as to justify the Crusades or the Spanish Inquisition, or those who interpreted atheism in such a way as to justify persecuting the Jews under Nazi Germany or the Chinese under Chairman Mao.

Please don’t interpret that to mean that I’m criticising Islam, Christianity or atheism – I’m not. The point I’m making is that the way we interpret something can be as important as the thing itself. The desperately horrifying actions of so-called Islamic State would be no less horrifying if Islam were true.

In all these challenges, surely the best thought we can take away is that understanding one another better is categorically a Good Thing.

So I wonder if I could invite you out for dinner, to do exactly that. I’m doing something called Alpha, where I’d love to share a bit about what Christianity means for me, and I’d love to hear what your faith means for you.

Sign up here, and we can interpret life together.

You can find out more about Alpha here.

EXERCISE IS TO THE OLYMPICS AS PRAYER IS TO...

Let me share just some of the thoughts I had when watching athletes perform during the Rio Olympics:

• Hugely inspiring
• Mega moving
• Totally immense

My wife got so into the event that she woke up in the middle of the night, and slipped downstairs to watch the TV and cheer on and enjoy a memorable race.

Each person taking part put in hours of training, over years and even decades. There have been personal and family sacrifices made so they can represent their country and achieve a personal best.

The whole thing was so inspirational - the greatest show on earth!

But is this something that just satisfies us while safe on the sofa?

Will we get up and give sport a go?

I love the idea that ‘I am Team GB’.

ITV shut down for an hour on Saturday - Emmerdale and Coronation Street encouraged people to give sport a go. Many athletes encouraged anyone and everyone to participate.

Having heard the worrying facts about childhood obesity, surely this must not just be one hour, but something that for many of us must become a lifestyle. The Government is encouraging all school children to do 30 minutes of exercise a day at school and the parents to promote another 30 minutes at home.

Nike has been telling us since 1988 that we must ‘Just do it’.

What holds you and me back?

What other area of your life have you thought, planned or purposed to give a go…but have never got round to it?

Let me extend this - have you ever properly asked:

• Who is Jesus?
• Does prayer work today? 

Delay no longer!

May I invite you to come and visit Redeemer this Sunday.

HOW DYLAN THOMAS RESISTING TINKERING REVEALS MY NEED FOR CONTENTMENT

I read this in a prologue to Dylan Thomas' collection of poems. This contains all the poems he wished to preserve around a year before his death:

"Some of them I have revised a little, but if I went on revising everything that I now do not like in this book I should be so busy that I would have no time to try to write new poems."

Dylan Thomas wrote some of the most moving and mesmerising poetry and prose - and he would have tinkered with them had he allowed himself to focus away from new ideas.

I take 2 lessons away from that.

Lesson 1

You may never be fully content with what you have created, be it a song, a piece of art, an essay, a photograph. But that doesn't mean others will not consider it beautiful and place great value it. 

Lesson 2

You may never be fully content with who you are. 
But that does not mean you are not beautiful to those around you, 
That does not mean that you do not have purpose. 
That does not mean you have not brought hope and joy to others.

Whilst it is true that God does not leave you in draft form and you will always be on your way to perfection, it is also true that you are most excellent.  
He has created someone wonderful in you. You are fit for the purpose he has for you right now.

So don't spend so much of your time adding finishing touches that you fail to celebrate what you have created and what our Creator has crafted in and through you.

You are splendid. Celebrate that.

THE VIDEO OF A SYRIAN BOY THAT COULD CHANGE THE WORLD

There are certain people that I enjoy being around more than others. Without fail, if asked to describe them, one word that would come up repeatedly would be kind.

I’m trying to teach my children to be the best people they can be. More often than not, I find myself saying to them, ‘Please be kind to one another.’

Last week, a video emerged of a young boy. About the age of one of my sons, he was being carried out of a pile of rubble (presumably his house), shocked into numbness.

His face shows no panic or pain, despite the chaos around him and the blood flowing down his face from his head wound.

His completely neutral expression as he sits still in the ambulance is one of the most upsetting sights I can remember ever having seen.

And I found out this morning that his older brother has since died.

I understand the whole world doesn’t agree on everything, and that has led to conflict. But as I see images and stories revealing the true horrors of those conflicts’ results, I’m ever more convinced that building walls and attacking those who are somewhat unlike me doesn’t make the world a safer place.

Put simply, I wish that the world was kinder to each other.

I feel indescribably helpless when it comes to the Middle East – I have too little knowledge, and too little influence. But what I know is that I can be kind to those who are in my life, and pray that others will do the same.

Who wants to join me?

The Bible tells us that one of the fruit of the Spirit is kindness. In other words: if I try to be kind, I will fail. But if I look to God for everything, kindness will grow naturally.

Please gather with us on Sunday, to receive from God and to practice kindness to one another and the whole borough!

The best September weekend in Ealing

The last few months at work I’ve been in some great training sessions.

(And some pretty dull ones.)

But I love looking forward to getting out from behind a laptop and getting up-skilled - I enjoy the feeling that I’m developing and growing.

Even more fun for me is having a chance to deliver some training! I get to take time out of the office to pass on business concepts, or share experiences and tips.

When it goes right, it can be a pretty satisfying day.

For me, the dream scenario is receiving training where there’s not just some bullet points on a slide, but a big slice of passion from an inspiration facilitator. Learning like that feels like something you want to do every day - sessions where there are light-bulb moments, people suddenly have ideas spinning around their heads and can’t wait to get to use them.

So I can't wait for September, when Redeemer is hosting a fantastic speaker, Tanya Walker, for two mornings of top quality, inspirational training and resourcing on the topic of Christian Apologetics!

And you’re invited, free of charge.

This isn’t a weekend to be missed if you want inspiration, to develop, and if you enjoy light-bulb moments.

---

The topic ‘Apologetics' gets its meaning from the Greek apologia, meaning a ‘reasoned defence’, and Tanya is an expert in addressing some of the key questions and objections commonly levelled against the Christian faith. She runs training across Europe as part of RZIM Zacharias Trust, and excels at developing others to communicate their faith in an era where authors like Richard Dawkins top the best seller lists.

From 9:45am on Saturday 10 September at Ealing Town Hall, Tanya will be sharing her passion for defending the Christian faith, and teaching sessions on giving a counter-claim to modern-day secularism (trust me, it’s going to be an inspirational start to your weekend).

Then on Sunday 11 September she will be speaking at the weekly Redeemer Sunday service (10:30am, Ealing Town Hall), tackling a big topical issue head-on. 

See you there!

Read more about Tanya Walker here.

A poem inspired by warm homes

I really value the warmth of the homes that welcomed me in as a teenager. The families that made a conscious effort to open their homes and their families to friends of their children. I learned a lot from them about priorities and the importance of nurturing an instinct for inclusion. I still value invites to share everyday stuff with friends.

This poem is written in acknowledgement of the families who extended their homes to me and my friends. Thank you.

---

Home from Home

Step over the threshold
And through the front hall
Full of shoes and possibilities.
Come to a kitchen table
Where you are able
To shed the cold and to unroll your soul
Against its worn and warm knots, 
Flavoured with cookies and coffee mugs
And echoes of late chats and early plans
And sneak-behind hugs.
Let the love that pools here
Soak into your marrow
Put aside tomorrow
And so launder your heart clean of fear.
Our home is your home,
Come pull up your chair.

---

Here's a challenge for you.

This week, find an opportunity to offer a welcoming inclusion to someone outside your family. It may be an invite to a family meal, a trip to the cinema, or even a trip to IKEA (other furniture stores are also available).

Be a model of inclusion.

Here's an invitation to you.

Come along to Ealing Town Hall at 10am this Sunday morning, where you'll find a welcome from the family at Redeemer.

HOW I WAS HUMBLED BY A HUNGRY, HOMELESS MAN

At 6am this morning I was sitting in Kings Cross station, gratefully tucking into a cheese, ham and tomato croissant.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and, turning around, was greeted by a man around my age. He explained that he was homeless and hungry, trying to get some money to buy some breakfast.

Very understandable.

Immediately, I stood up and asked him what he’d like, but there was a problem. I was sitting in a Pret a Manger, and he wanted McDonald’s breakfast. The closest McDonald’s was outside the station, and he didn’t want me to miss my train.

Not a problem, I explained. I was early for my train, and had just finished my croissant, so was happy to walk with him.

He said he really didn’t want to trouble me, and walked away.

I sat down - on one level disappointed I wasn’t able to help, but on another level pleased - and proud - that I had done the right thing in not giving cash when I didn’t really know how he was going to spend it.

In fact, his walking away clearly proved that he wasn’t that hungry.

He probably wanted that money to buy drugs and mess his life up even more.

And then, after a while, I started to actually think.

This man was my age, and clearly had been homeless for some time - no-one introduces themselves as homeless unless they’ve come to accept that about themselves. He was already putting himself in a vulnerable position by asking members of the public for loose change, and I was offering to shame him further by proudly handing my gleaming credit card to an assistant at McDonald’s.

No wonder he walked away with an excuse – on reflection, I probably would have too.

How often do I judge people based on the way they look, then see all evidence through that judgmental filter?

How often do you?

In front of God, we could all see ourselves as shame-filled sinners, yet he chooses to see us as being clothed with honour, adopted as his children.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to resolve to see others as God sees them, rather than through whatever lens we’ve crafted in our mind.

And this Sunday as we gather, let’s remember the shame that his son Jesus took upon himself for our sake, and the honour in which we’re now clothed. Who can fail to celebrate in wonder at that?!

IS IT WORTH THE WEIGHT?

Great news: a new career option is available to ladies!

A significant change was made recently to the roles available to women in the British Army.  Up until recently, women have been able to make a contribution alongside their male counterparts across various roles in the army, apart from certain frontline combat roles like the infantry and tank units. A number of people believe that having women in these roles is not a good idea, while others have suggested that there should be no restrictions to what women can do in the Armed Forces.

The Government carried out a review of the involvement of women in these frontline combat roles and has come to the conclusion that women should be allowed to serve in these roles if they demonstrate ability to pass the test for entry into these units. As you can imagine, the tests for entry into these units can be very rigorous. I recently looked up the physical test for some of these combat roles. A person would have to carry 25kg of weight and run for 8 miles in military boots. This is no small challenge, even if you are used to carrying a heavy rucksack (or handbag) around. For a lot of people, even running the 8-mile distance in running shoes will be a challenge. If you have carried anything heavy for any distance, you will be familiar with the fact that the same amount of weight starts to feel heavier the longer you carry it.  This is because the weight begins to take its toll on the body and the body's ability to carry the weight diminishes over time….do you reckon you have what it takes to pass the infantry test?

I cannot see a huge influx of women rushing to join the infantry in the wake of this change in government policy. One publication estimates that the proportion of women likely to pass the current test will be less than 5% of those currently in the army. Although there are many reasons why women may not be joining the frontline combat units, the biggest reason is that the army is an organisation that is joined on a voluntary basis; no-one will be compelled to take the test to see whether they have what it takes to join the infantry. It means that most women or men will never know or care to know what it feels like to carry 25kg over 8 miles in military boots.

Having said that, many people will be familiar with the feeling of carrying emotional and psychological weight for many years.

Many people feel guilty about what they have done. Others are suffering from the guilt of what they failed to do. Some are struggling to come to terms with the actions taken by others but which have left them carrying a burden that has been difficult to shake off. Does this describe your situation?You may not be surprised to hear that, like physical weight, the effects of carrying emotional and psychological baggage can become more pronounced over time. For some, it may be the damage it has done or is doing to relationships. For others, it may be the toll that it is taking on one’s physical health or emotional wellbeing. In Psalms 32 and 38, David the psalmist wrote about some of the physical symptoms that guilt was causing including physical weakness and pain. Can you see how emotional and psychological baggage is starting to take its toll on your life?

Are you tired of carrying the weight from your past? Would you welcome some relief? Jesus offers you relief today if you are willing to accept it. He invites you to cast your burdens on him and he will offer you rest (Matthew 11:28). This is an offer that many have taken and can confirm that their burdens have been lifted. The infantry test requires you to go through the full demands of the grueling experience to secure entry into life as an infantry soldier. In contrast, by turning to Jesus with your life and all its burdens, you give yourself a real opportunity to enter into a new life...life in all its fullness!

SPIDER-MAN AND YOU HAVE AN IMPORTANT THING IN COMMON

I'm a Marvel comic book fan, have been since my junior school years. I was born the same year as the Amazing Spider-Man, 1962. I know his origin story as well as I know my own life story.  Steve Ditko and Stan Lee created a memorable character.

I love how every Marvel character has a distinct origin story and clear character traits that are consistently threaded through the story lines of the past 50 years.

Spider-Man, Peter Parker, is an orphan and unlucky in love; he's a geek, but really smart and he's usually struggling financially. He learned to his cost that with great power comes great responsibility, but little personal security.

The Incredible Hulk, Bruce Banner, is a mild-mannered scientist with an angry alter ego. Consistently misunderstood and hounded by the authorities, there's no situation that can't be improved with a double handed smash.

Marvel writers typically keep their stories consistent with the continuity established in earlier publications. But sometimes a bold writer might depart from Marvel lore, changing the character or altering their circumstances. Some fans would react favorably, some would send hate mail. (Fans have a lot invested in their childhood heroes.)

As an adult now I have a few years of adventures behind me; some I'm proud of, some I'm not.  I'm grateful that the good news of Jesus Christ is that he does not tie his followers to their earlier story lines, trying to maintain consistent continuity. He uses that foundation to build something new. A new start, a new heart and healing of the past.

Christ does not limit you based on your past. Irrespective of your socio-economic standing, your gender, your education, your race, your scars - Christ brings new life. Irrespective of past mistakes, Jesus brings hope.

---

Broken Continuity.

Skin deep scars were easy to shoulder,
while the deeper ones each hardened my heart. 
Life-long wounds still wept and smouldered, 
carving permanent paths.
Hidden cuts wouldn't stop itching, 
and beneath my smile shadows kept screaming.
Treacherous memories would sting
and bite right through my once thick skin
then slowly burrow, refusing to die,
spreading their cursed lies ...

The scars are mine, the wounds are real, 
the memories follow me, still
I was the haunted boy, the wild child. 
I was the son, loved, beaten and reviled.  
I was the dreamer. I was the drama. 
I was the fiction that made me me...... 
--
That was then, but now see,
I have a new writing team,
a change in narrative, a brand new me,
a departure from past continuity.
Now I have a team-up. 
Now I have back-up. 
And in this story arc,
I get a power-up:
one new ability,
His power to HEAL ME!

---

Life's not a comic book, it's much more exciting than that.

If you would like to know more about how Jesus changes lives, why not come along to Redeemer this Sunday. You won't find any superheroes, but you will find people enjoying renewed lives. 

BUSY, OR EXISTENTIALLY BORED?

I love living in London.

One of the advantages of living in London is that something is always happening.

Life here is fast-paced and full of activity.

But I find that the constant busyness leads to a temptation to try and create busyness when things are slowing down a bit. Of course, I put it down to me liking activity, but it's probably fair to admit that sometimes I fill my time because I'm scared of the boredom that might come with slowing down.

I read a blog post the other day that captured this so well. It's only short, so I'd encourage you to read the whole thing, but here's a quote to whet your appetite:

Our culture now equates busyness with importance, hard work with ability. We like representing ourselves as capable, so our egos swell approvingly with each overtime hour logged. Our work has thus become our identity—when meeting new people, I’m likely to be asked ‘what I do’ before I’m asked my name. Even 2,000 years before Headspace offered free 10-day trials and lifestyle magazines wrote about mindfulness, Roman Stoic Seneca noted this human tendency with enough scathing accuracy to elicit a collective 21st-century cringe: ‘It is inevitable that life will be not just very short but very miserable for those who acquire by great toil what they must keep by greater toil. They achieve what they want laboriously; they possess what they have achieved anxiously... New preoccupations take the place of the old, hope excites more hope and ambition more ambition. They do not look for an end to their misery, but simply change the reason for it.’

So read the entire post on the Salt London blog, and why not put this into practice by ceasing your busyness this August, by enjoying our Holy Smokes Barbecues every Sunday.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE AB FAB FILM

Earlier this week, I had a great conversation at my meetup. The general message we were discussing was this: you can’t pick and choose what bits of Christianity you believe – take it all, or leave it all.

With that in mind, two headlines caught my eye. Both are attention-grabbing, and both are cinema-related:

1. New Emma Watson film makes £47 at UK box office

2. Audience members ejected from cinema for laughing at Absolutely Fabulous

Both of them look like ridiculous, out-of-the-ordinary stories…but in fact both are non-stories, for different reasons.

The Emma Watson film was never intended to make money through cinema screenings, aiming for the home streaming market instead. So the headline should really have read:

New Emma Watson film basically makes exactly what it hoped to through cinema screenings

Not quite as catchy, I’ll grant you.

How about the Ab Fab story? Well, four people were kicked out of a screening – rare, but not unheard of. Why were they kicked out? The four people say they were told to ‘laugh on the inside’, and the cinema says it was because they were annoying other cinema-goers by talking loudly. So the headline should really have read:

Audience members ejected from cinema, most likely for valid reasons. 

So neither story is really news, is it.

---

Let’s agree on one thing. In a perfect world, there would be no need to make up news, but that’s not how the news business works.

Think about it. Newspapers, news websites, news TV channels and radio slots – all of them produce frequent news updates. They don’t publish news when there’s news, they publish news when there’s a publication deadline.

The net result of that is journalists tasked with filling space rather than finding the best news story – and so stories are written based on the angle rather than the truth.

And that’s much more fun, isn’t it? Take a tiny detail, one piece of the puzzle, and make up an interesting whole-picture story that fits that one detail.

Could we really build a new hospital every week if we left the EU? Of course not, but saying ‘an insignificant sum goes to the EU in exchange for tangible and intangible benefits’, while a fairer reflection of the truth, isn’t a good enough angle.

So how about Christianity?

The same is true. We are all tempted to embrace angles on Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, church life…

I invite you to regularly lose every misconception and filter that’s built up over time, and come back to the purity of Christianity.

And you can do that this coming Tuesday evening, in Ealing Broadway. Email hello@redeemerlondon.org to find out how you can get a free meal and an opportunity to properly explore Christianity!

MANIFESTO FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH

Ealing is home to people from over 170 nations, so it shouldn't come as a surprise to see around 30 nationalities meeting God together, every Sunday morning at Ealing town hall.

I cannot but be impressed by the unifying effect of God's spirit.

I believe in one international church. 
I believe in an inter-racial and unbiased church of many nations. 
I believe in one church of many traditions. 
I believe in one church not hemmed in by history or by man-made borders. 
I believe in a God for whom his pallet of skin colours reflects his love of diversity. 
I believe in God-given racial differences. 
I believe in one creator God who made all mankind equal. 
I believe in a church that reflects her maker's love of difference. 
I do not believe in uniformity. 
I believe in the common language of love for one another, for neighbours and for enemies that transcends local dialects. 
I believe in one sundry collection of priests who are called to serve one God together, saved by one sacrifice once and for all time. 
I believe in the promise of a resurrected church drawn from all generations to meet her bridegroom. 
I believe in one eternal wedding feast which features everything from the finest vegetable samosas to the richest steam puddings. 
I believe in one extravagant Father who has built one massive mansion with many rooms so all his people can come and dwell together. 
I believe in God's Kingdom come. 

Why not join the throng.

SEE THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS GOSPEL CHOIR FOR FREE!

Looking for a Redeemer event to invite your friends and family to? We have just the thing for you!

On Sunday 10th July, the world-famous London Community Gospel Choir will be with us at our weekly meeting. This promises to be a very memorable Sunday and we have hundreds of seats we’d love to fill!

The event is completely free of charge and people of all ages are welcome.

Booking your tickets couldn’t be easier - simply click here, and book a ticket for each guest you plan to bring along. It would greatly help our creche and kids workers if you could book tickets for any children that may come, so we can provide enough fun activities for them on the day.

If you have any questions, please email us at hello@redeemerlondon.org.

We’ll see you there!

OPEN UP OPPORTUNITIES BY SLOWING DOWN

X-Men Apocalypse was an OK movie. Not up there with Marvel's best, but entertaining all the same. The most memorable scene for me was Quicksilver moving faster than thought to rescue the students at a school while an explosion 'slowly' expands to engulf them.

Quicksilver is quick, but from his perspective he has plenty of time - real time appears to slow to a crawl.

We can't compete with his physical speed, but our minds can.

We think faster than we talk, which is a great advantage when studying, negotiating,  planning etc.  But if we are not careful it can be a handicap when spending time with friends.

When we are in conversation with someone, it's too easy for our thoughts to jump ahead of what they're saying. We miss out on what they are actually telling us about themselves and about what is important to them. This is particularly evident from the questions we ask.

We tend to ask closed questions, which invite a simple answer. When you ask, “Did you spend childhood holidays in the UK?" you're not asking them about their holidays, you're telling them to confirm what is in your mind.

If we slow down a little and actively listen, we'll learn so much more.

Open questions are much harder, but invite a more involved answer on their agenda. “What about childhood holidays sticks in your memory?”

We fall into the same trap when thinking about Jesus or reading well-worn Bible narratives. We can be quick to assume rather than explore.

A simple example is assuming that three wise men visited Bethlehem, because they brought three gifts. But the narrative doesn't tell us that. There may have been a horde of wise men, or only two.

More importantly, we may assume that following Jesus is a chore, but if you ask folk at Redeemer they will tell a different story. It's natural to superimpose our preconceptions on God and make assumptions based on those preconceptions. We ask questions of God with an expectation of what the answer will be, rather than open our minds to explore alternatives outside our expectations.

So, I have two challenges for you.

1. Next time you are catching up with a friend, actively listen. Slow down and explore what they are sharing with you. You'll soon build a stronger friendship.
2. Push aside your preconceptions about Jesus and explore what he has to say. If you do, you'll quickly discover someone surprising.

You can do both of these over a meal in a restaurant this Tuesday.

Redeemer will pay.

Redeemer is hosting 'Christianity Explored', an opportunity to ask some really searching questions. 

Quick, email hello@redeemerlondon.org to get the details!

FATHER IS A VERB

We're community, and the community works best with strong relationships. It can be tempting to live life with the mantra "Family first", to put me and mine before those I rub shoulders with daily. But that path deprives us of community. I was fortunate to have strong role models around me outside my immediate family to supplement the parenting I got at home.  That helped mould me as a person.

I now live as part of a local community in Ealing and as part of a church community called Redeemer.  I'm thankful that I still benefit from the support and friendship of those I worship with.

One aspect of this is benefiting from the fatherly care of my pastor and people like him.

The poem that follows celebrates this fathering I've received over the years, from older cousins, mentors, friends and pastors.  And from my late dad, the 'Honey Monster'.

(With great thanks to Godfrey Rust, who wrote a wonderful poem called 'Church is a verb'.)

Father is a verb.

Father's Day; and
Father Christmas
have tried to convince us,
but don't be fooled:
You can, may or will father,
depending on your mood.
For father is a verb.

It only works in the transitive;
you can't father alone,
only in relationship.

It doesn't resent hospital trips,
and offers wrap-around comfort
when a partnership
splits.

It's touch-line volume
drowns out all rivals.
And belly laughs come standard
with jokes on recycle.
Yes, father is a verb.

It's something that men do,
despite the hour,
it drives right on through
the night when life’s gone sour.
It'll hammer ten finger nails
to get the job done.

It will dance, heedless of decorum
forgetting reputation
(- with an ill-suited hat on).

It turns manliness
into awesome-men-ness,
it tempers strength
with a dose of gentleness. Yes,
father is a verb.

It works in the singular:
I can father;
you can father
      (I'm not talking sex here;
      that takes a partner.)
It works in the plural:
we can father; and
they can father, because,
you see, in this village
it's an joint activity,
we father (and mother)
collaboratively.

It works best in the present tense,
happening now, not "LATER!"
-
It can be said in a gentle voice
or something - even - quieter;

sometimes active: directive, protecting;
but often responsive: just sitting, listening;
...holding and hugging;
it responds to need, you see,
but works best
proactively,
works great
sacrificially.

For example,

though it cost him dearly,
God Fathers us
and through us daily.
And one day, suit pressed,
He'll proudly walk
with the bride of Christ.
And as Father of the bride,
He'll host the party and blow the price;

(- BIGGEST - bar-bill - EVER)

And we'll be sure to save at least one dance
for Father.

Oh yes, you heard:
Father is a verb.

If you are looking for community, you'll find it at Redeemer.  Come and introduce yourself.

TAKE THIS CHANCE TO UNDERSTAND GOD BETTER

Christianity is misunderstood by many people.

People I know who don't know Christianity frequently tell me that they wouldn't like it, because:

• the rules make life boring - there are no rules in Christianity
• Christians are out-of-touch and hate the LGBTQ community - that is certainly true about a vocal minority who claim to be Christians, but isn't true about any Christian I've ever met
• Jesus wasn't a real person - the historical evidence would suggest otherwise

So Christianity is definitely misunderstood by people who aren't Christians.

But it is also misunderstood by Christians.

Christians are really happy to talk about God as a loving Father. Almost every stereotypical view of the Christian God plays on this picture.

Christians are also happy to talk about God as the Son, Jesus. Countless books, magazines, TV programmes, films and websites have been devoted to Jesus of Nazareth.

But Christians tend to avoid the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was called the Holy Ghost a few hundred years ago - and who wants to think about ghosts?

Churches that talk about the Holy Spirit tend to be really weird and uncomfortable places. Lots of shouting, hand-waving and flapping around on the floor like a fish gasping for air.

The problem is that the Holy Spirit seems really important!

The Bible starts talking about the Holy Spirit on the opening page and is still talking about him on the closing page.

Jesus himself says that life would be better off if we only ever met the Holy Spirit (John 16:7).

Maybe we should understand him?

On 25 June, I'm putting on a day all about the Holy Spirit. Why not come along?

We're meeting in Northfields at 10am. We'll be done by 3pm, and the day will include:

• Inspiring Bible-based talks about who the Holy Spirit is, what he does, and practical observations on how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• A free lunch!
• Time to discuss what we're learning throughout the day with others on the same journey.
• Dedicated space to receive from the Holy Spirit in a safe, low-pressure environment.

If you're planning on coming it would be great to know so that I can get the right amount of food! Please email hello@redeemerlondon.org with your name and any dietary requirements, and we'll get back with all the details.

You are very welcome!

MY SON GAVE ME A GIFT THAT TRANSPORTED ME TO AN EXCITING TIME

I must be a marketer's dream...

Just saying, even thinking, the word Ray-Ban makes me smile!

Who doesn’t love Elwood and Jake in the film The Blues Brothers, wearing those cool glasses?

I love the summer and the sunshine.

Life can seem so much better when the sky is blue, the sun is hot and the shades are on.

Memories come flooding back of time spent in the past at the beach, enjoying a stroll beside quiet rivers, and stopping for a cold pint.

My son kindly bought me a new pair of Ray-Bans for Christmas. This week I took them out of the box and have appreciated wearing them.

(He's a generous lad - although a student - I'm not going to ask if they're a genuine pair!)

I must have hit mid-life because I even have an old pair of Ray-Bans just for the car…it's good to have a pair of glasses close to hand, you never know when you might need them.

Which season of the year do you most enjoy?

The sight of Ray-Bans reminds me of the joy of summer.

What object do you most connect with it?

Sometimes God speaks to us through a simple object or a picture that means so much more. We love to allow space for God to speak whenever we gather as Redeemer.

Why not come along on Sunday to see what God would like to say to you?