Virtual Methodist

Too much to do... too little time... So today's round-up of pages that have caught my eye is more rudimentary that usual... But hope your find it interesting/entertaining/challenging (delete as applicable)... A BIBLICAL APPROACH TO WALLOPING YOUR WOMAN? The media has been filled with the very public unravelling of the relationship of Nigella Lawson and Charles Saachi , raising questions of what constitutes domestic abuse. So it was against this background that I was slightly disconcerted to find this piece in the Huffington post that purports to point to a site which advocates Christian husbands spanking their wives to maintain a Biblical marriage... So that is why Evangelical Alliance and others are advocating a "Biblical approach to marriage" in the face of marriage equality legislation!? Now I know my Bible fairly well, while I have never read any of the "Forty Shades of Grey" books, but this seems to owe more to the latter than the former. I have not ...

I never cease to be amazed by the fact that even after years and years of studying the Bible that I can come back to a very familiar passage and find something that is blindingly obvious, yet I have missed it for years... Perhaps its just that I am stupid, but if I am I believe that I'm not alone... I had one of those moments earlier in the week looking at Matthew 25, but I have had another this morning with the latter part of Matthew 28 ... the so-called "Great Commission", beloved of any minister wanting to stir up his congregation to evangelism... It's not something brand new, as I've been turning these ideas around and round for years, but the pieces of the jigsaw just seemed to fit together this morning in an "Aha!" moment... It may be obvious to to you, but pity one of our heavenly Father's slower children... I was looking at it, partly as a more in depth look at Matthew in the light of my reflection earlier in the week, partly in preparation f...

Just a quick post to partially redress the balance regarding the retreat last week. I stand by all that I said about one strand of the event... It was appalling. But that happens sometimes... You book speakers with an international reputation, brief them appropriately, and they then don't come up with the goods... And there is absolutely nothing you can do about it, except take them off your list of recommendations for anyone else. As for the rest of the event, it was extremely well organised and worthwhile, although personally I think it is something that we should do every 3 years, rather than bi-annually as it has been recently... The speakers and seminars are an important element, but probably more important is just the time spent sharing with colleagues, especially now that our annual conference in June is shorter, more condensed and business-like. But to refer to the other main speaker at the event, Bishop Graham Cray of Maidstone, as I said in a comment after my previous pos...

As someone from an evangelical perspective who has been involved in social engagement for years now... actually, probably the whole of my adult life, I am amazed that Christians and churches still need to be sold on the whole idea. I am also aghast at the fact that so many of my evangelical colleagues are only prepared to dabble in such activities if there is a clear pay-off in "souls saved." My own experience tells me that people in the wider world are not daft. If they think that we are trying to help them with their material needs only to have them come to church, or ultimately come to Christ, they will either run a mile, or shamelessly use us in the same way we have shamelessly used what they see as their most important needs as a means to hook them. Rather, I argue, that whilst we should be open about why we engage in such activities (that we believe that God wants us to help people because he loves them) we must engage in the work with no hidden agenda, but simply becau...

Recently had a bizarre and very full week. From Saturday 10th November through to Sunday 18th my church, Dundonald Methodist, worked with the other 2 main churches in Ballybeen, namely St. Mary's Church of Ireland and Christ Church Presbyterian, on an evangelistic outreach programme, which we called "Connect". It was underpinned by the idea of the 3 churches 'connecting' together, to 'connect' with the wider community and encourage people to 'connect' with God. You get the picture. We were supported in this by 3 evangelists: Roger Murphy, from Through Faith Missions , Paul Hoey of CPAS and Paul Woodman, an illusionist who is also a pastor in City Life Church in Southampton. There were a range of events in different venues around the estate all week, reaching out to all ages and interests, a men's health event, a seniors' tea dance, an evening of salsa aerobics for women, a beach party for teens (which is a novel idea for Ballybeen in the ...

A simple sketch that I wrote some time ago and have used in a variety of settings. It looks at our responsibility to pass on the good news that has been passed on to us... 2 actors in track bottoms, running shoes and sweat shirts stand on stage looking at an 8 inch aluminium baton. A: What is it? B: I’m telling you I don’t know... I can’t even remember where I got it from... A: Maybe its for looking through... a telescope that’s lost its lenses..? B: Or how about a hi-tech truncheon... for keeping the peasants in order? A: Or an objet d’art... an artistic curiosity... B: Yes... A nominee for the Turner Prize A: Just look at the clean lines, B: The unpretentious unity of form A: Summing up the three-dimensional linearity of life A & B: No.... B: A reject from a boomerang factory... (throws baton off stage) Sorry Missus... (A goes to get it & comes back pretending to be a dog holding the baton in mouth) A: (Taking it out of his mouth) A stick for a higher class of dog to fetch.....

With apologies to John Bell and Graham Maule of the Iona Community's Wild Goose Worship Group, who devised this Jesus/Peter format , this is a dialogue I wrote to go along with the third part of the "Lost for Words" course on faith sharing, by CPAS . Jesus: Peter...? Peter: Yes, Jesus? Jesus: Is there something wrong? Peter: I’m just thinking about those stories you told us... Jesus: Which ones Peter? There are quite a few… Peter: You know… those ones about the foolish shepherd and the careless housewife… Jesus: The what? I don’t remember those ones Peter… Peter: You know, the ones where they managed to lose a sheep and a coin and then had to spend ages looking for them... Jesus: Trust you to look at it that way... Peter: Well, my Dad taught me to look after my things so I wouldn’t lose them… So I like to know where things are… I can’t stand carelessness… Jesus: And that’s good… Wouldn’t want you misplacing the keys to heaven… Peter: What? Jesus: Never mind... Peter: Anyw...