The Age To Come

Community Vision

Posted on 20 January 2008 by Peter

Below is a transcript of a document Ruthy and I recently put together regarding Community. I’ve created a static page too, as this is something deep on our hearts that I want to keep highlighted here.

The need to answer the question ‘How do we live an authentic Christian life in the West today?’ precipitated the vision and heart for Christ-centred Community which came a number of years ago; since childhood for Ruthy and for us as a couple since 1999 when the Lord impressed a vision / desire on both our hearts (incidentally, this vision for community is for us tied into the call to come to Canada which began in 1997). How is it possible to live more simply, and meaningfully, being ‘in the world’ but not trapped or immersed in / by it? As the Northumbria community puts it ‘How then shall we live? How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?’

The vision given in 1999 has been developing since then. The original call to community left questions unanswered. Community, yes – but to what purpose? What would it look like? Where would it be based? What aim? How would it work…?

To answer these questions, we had to go back a step. What was truly on our hearts? What were we finding so distasteful and false in our present experience of living? It was the blatant shallowness, superficiality, worldliness of our ‘rich’ culture, both in the UK and here in Canada. And sadly, we saw only too clearly that this same spirit extended to the churches, to the fellowship we were part of, and we were not exempt…

In our hearts we felt that this should be different. As scripture shows us, those who are in Christ, should not live this way. How can there be revival, unless there is change, unless the people of God radically embrace the gospel, unless they are seen to be genuinely different, from the heart outwards? How are we any different from our ‘rich’ neighbours, except that we go to church on a Sunday morning? Living in Community, in both vulnerability and availability, sharing with others, welcoming whoever our Father sends was the way God seemed to be answering this for us…

So, in reality, how would we answer this call to Community? We don’t have a complete answer to that yet! Our vision has proved to be an organic, changing thing, yet with a heart that has remained the same – focussed on worshipping Christ, being Bible-centred and living out a simple Rule of life, giving to others out of our plenty, holding all things in common….( which we are sure will be no easy task! )

Only our Father sees and knows what will come of this call; we need to walk with him and trust Him; we are not given the future, just enough for today. It might be, that as our life together is lived and grows, that ‘community’ life within our churches might become more meaningful, might go beyond the ‘house group’ level to a far deeper, sometimes more painful, more real church…

• Where the needs of one are supplied by the plenty of another (Acts 2 v42-47) that offers unconditional hospitality.

• Where there is a deep love for God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – and for each other.

• That looks outward to bless the poor and helpless, realising that we are also the poor and helpless.

• That daily worships, prays and works together in openness and vulnerability; whether gathered together or ‘gathered’ apart, which would form a rhythm, or rule, to community life.

We see a main facility as being a sort of ‘Mother House’, where a body of us would permanently live, welcoming those whom the Lord sends, for ministry or to minister, to stay for short periods, or for longer, to seek refreshment in order to go back out into the world in mission….Whoever lives there, for however long, would also embrace the daily rule of life and join in the tasks that keep daily life going; the practical on-going kitchen, house, cooking, cleaning, gardening sorts tasks! As well as looking after the library and chapel…And so we all contribute to the life of the community. We live together, pray together and work together, asking the Lord to “establish Thou the work of our hands “.

Many other folk, who also value this simple rule of life will be called to remain in the neighbourhoods and situations where they are now. But they also can be a part of community life by embracing the ethos of being available and vulnerable to God and other people, by using the same Bible readings, daily worship ‘offices’ and periodically visiting the Mother house to offer their time and talents and just to visit.

This would not be a church, or even a parachurch organisation, but a revolution within the life of our churches as they are. All community members would be encouraged to remain within their present church fellowships.

As we view the current state of the world, it occurs to us that there could also be another component to this community, that of rescue. As the world grows darker, so there will need to be beacons of light, offering hope, rescue, a refuge and a home – an oasis in a country where we can no longer talk about “Christmas” or “Jesus” (especially in the schools), where you get in to trouble if you say anything that is perceived to be ‘homophobic’ or if you ‘offend’ anybody’s faith. One can imagine it might not be that long before Christians are discriminated against in the workplace and elsewhere just because they are Christians. Indeed, the need for Christian community would become even greater.

A few years ago the Lord clearly said to Pete; “If you build it they will come”. We have pondered and prayed long and hard over this one, wanting to be obedient yet not impetuous. If this call to community is indeed of God, and we firmly believe it is, then the ‘where’ and ‘how’ and ‘when’ will be of His making and in His time.

Posted in Christian | 13 Comments

Court Rules British Airways May Prohibit Crosses but not Symbols of Other Religions

Posted on 16 January 2008 by Peter

OK, it’s probably best I get this out of my system in one go. Never let it be said that Canada is the only country enshrining political correctness. It’s just as bad, if not worse at home. From here.

LONDON, January 16, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A court ruling last week concluded that British Airways (BA) did not engage in unlawful discrimination when it suspended an employee for refusing to hide a cross necklace while at work, even though symbols of other religions are permitted.

In October 2006, Nadia Eweida, a Christian who works at the British Airways check-in counter at Heathrow Airport in London, was told that she must either cover up or remove a necklace depicting a small cross. Eweida was placed on unpaid leave when she refused to conceal the cross. British Airways allows employees of other religions, such as Islam and Hinduism, to wear faith-related items, including clothing, jewelry, and religious markings.

When the case originally hit the press in 2006, BA drew criticism from the Church of England, the Vatican and even from Christians leaders in Africa. British politicians and some church leaders threatened to boycott BA, and the Church of England threatened to to sell its £6.6 million worth of BA shares, until BA said it would review the policy.

Eweida lost her initial suit against the company but won an injunction on appeal in the Reading Employment Tribunal. However, in last Tuesday’s ruling in the case, Eweida v. British Airways, the court ruled the airline can continue to prohibit Eweida from visibly wearing her cross. The court concluded that other types of religious symbols, such as turbans, bangles, and other religious markings are unable to be concealed and are therefore acceptable.

The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) which provided funding for Eweida’s case against the airline, will appeal the ruling.

“Christian employees should not be singled out for discrimination. This decision will be appealed,” said ADF Chief Counsel Benjamin Bull. “According to British Airways, it’s okay for employees to wear a symbol of their faith unless it’s a Christian cross. The airline took no action against employees of other religions who wore jewelry or symbols of their religion. That type of intolerance is inconsistent with the values of civilized communities around the world.”

“No Christian should be forced to hide her faith in the workplace, particularly when a double-standard exists targeting only Christians for discriminatory treatment. This case should be of particular interest to the American customers of British Airways who understand and value religious liberty,” concluded Bull.

There’s lots more where that came from too. I wonder, could we see this as ‘a’ great falling away, or ‘the’ great falling away? Things to ponder. Anyway, I will change tack and get that community post up soon…..

Posted in Christian | 10 Comments

The Canadian Thought Police

Posted on 14 January 2008 by Peter

I wrote a long article on a case at the Canadian Thought Police a while ago, then deleted it because it was getting too complicated to tell the tale well in a blog post. By Thought Police, I mean the Human Rights Commissions, which were originally set up as a low-level sub-judicial body to intervene in minor matters regarding discrimination based on race, sex etc. The fact that this body has metamorphised into an unaccountable thought police department is indicative of how ill-conceived and ill-executed this body was.

For instance, what did the founders think might happen when they ensured that complainants were publicly funded, while defendants had to pay their own way? And where the only standard of evidence was that there was no standard? In the hands of the politically-correct, these have become powerful weapons indeed, intended and used to chill thoughts or expressions deemed offensive.

I am probably not saying anything that has not been said before when I suggest that agreement with what the defendant has said or wrote is not the issue. With a few obvious restrictions (for instance, one should not be allowed to publicly call for somebody to be murdered) people should be free to say stupid, idiotic and obnoxious things. Generally speaking, these kind of things are self-correcting anyway. People should also be free to offend others, to debate others, to disagree and to make plain their beliefs.

Rather than getting any further into this, you can check out one of the latest cases here – h/t Magistats. The case is made much better than I could make it – I just wanted to give another heads-up regarding an increasingly abusive misuse of power and chilling of free speech here North of the border.

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Anglican Wars

Posted on 12 January 2008 by Peter

When I set up this blog in September 2006, I said I was focusing on two things – firstly the prophetic, but also Anglican affairs.

Well, 2008 comes round and the wars continue unabated, in fact now intensifying. This is an inevitable reality as the Anglican Communion comes unravelled. However, it is certainly an unedifying reality. I look at the constant to and fro of news, claim and counter-claim, bickering, statement and counter-statement, barbs and insults flung far and wide and I find it hard to avoid a feeling of despair.

I would wish that all fault could be found on one side only, and whilst I do believe the lions share can be found with the adherents and proponents of the New Thing, neither side comes out squeaky clean. If indeed there is just one side. More recently there has been a disturbing trend on our ‘side’ for those who differ in tactics regarding the response to the New Thing to spend more time attacking and blaming each other than finding ways to work (and pray!) together, even if that does involve different responses in practice.

I wish I could say it’s getting better. But it isn’t, and won’t – not for some time yet. It’s a little like watching a train-wreck in slow motion.

In the meantime, we have to find some way of living as Anglican Christians without becoming so embroiled in the political and ecclesiastical mess that we lose all sense of charity or perspective. You can see this happening on both sides, where one side’s leaders become demigods, and the other side’s leaders become devils. Of course, reality is much more complicated, but that is what polarised times do.

The question we may have to ask ourselves is this – once all this is over, and the dust settled, what, who and where do we want to be? Are we so defined by the struggle that our vision will not outlast it?

I’m not advocating sticking fingers in ears and loudly shouting “I can’t hear you”. There are decisions that have to be made, and like it or not we are going to have to engage the issues sooner or later. Even not making a decision is making a decision.

I have posted here from time to time on these Anglican Wars, but have really only scraped the edge of everything I could post. This is partly because I’m posting some of that on the Anglican Essentials blog, partly because I don’t want this place to become one round after another of train-wreck reporting.

There are other things going on beyond Anglican Wars (thank God!), and I find it hopeful and uplifting to post some of these. Occasionally, when I look up from my trench, I see the sky is still blue and God is still most certainly in charge. Nothing is happening without His say, and all is unfolding as He calls. The question is as much ‘Who do you want me to be at this time Lord?’ as ‘What do you want me to do at this time Lord?’. I think Lent and Beyond have it about right, with the call to pray, both for friends and enemies. It might take some effort, but it is a blessing for the soul – perhaps sometimes actually blessing oneself more than ones enemies. Like I’ve said before, unforgiveness binds the unforgiver to the unforgiven. It is hard in practice to avoid forgiving those for whom you are praying.

With that said, I hope in the next few days to post something on community, a vision that has been on our hearts a number of years now and that we are now attempting to put down on paper. I believe this is something that is going to become increasingly important in the days ahead.

Posted in Anglican, Christian | 9 Comments

Comic relief

Posted on 9 January 2008 by Peter

Shamelessly plagiarised from the Muse, I give you some pearls of Wisdom…..

“He had delusions of adequacy.” – Walter Kerr

“He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire.” – Winston Churchill

“A modest little person, with much to be modest about.” – Winston Churchill

“I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure.” – Clarence Darrow

“He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary.” – William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)

“Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?” – Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)

“Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I’ll waste no time reading it.” – Moses Hadas

“He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know.” – Abraham Lincoln

“I didn’t attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” – Mark Twain

“He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.” – Oscar Wilde

“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend…. if you have one.” – George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill

“Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second… if there is one.” – Winston Churchill, in response.

“I feel so miserable without you; it’s almost like having you here.” – Stephen Bishop

“He is a self-made man and worships his creator.” – John Bright

“I’ve just learned about his illness. Let’s hope it’s nothing trivial.” – Irvin S. Cobb

“He is not only dull himself, he is the cause of dullness in others.” – Samuel Johnson

“He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up.” – Paul Keating

“There’s nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won’t cure.” – Jack E. Leonard

“He has the attention span of a lightning bolt.” – Robert Redford

“They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge.” – Thomas Brackett Reed

“In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily.” – Charles, Count Talleyrand

“He loves nature in spite of what it did to him.” – Forrest Tucker

“Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?” – Mark Twain

“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” – Mae West

“Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go.” – Oscar Wilde

“He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts… for support rather than illumination.” – Andrew Lang (1844-1912)

“He has Van Gogh’s ear for music.” – Billy Wilder

“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn’t it.” – Groucho Marx

A member of Parliament to Disraeli: “Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.” “That depends, Sir, ” said Disraeli, “on whether I embrace your policies or your mistress.”

One of my favorites (on an officer’s performance assessment – not one of mine, thankfully): “Soldiers will follow this officer, if only out of idle curiosity.

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

As an aside to begin the week…..

Posted on 7 January 2008 by Peter

It’s kind of ironic, considering that in the current Anglican Unpleasantness I and my compatriots are labelled as cultural Neanderthals somewhat to the right of Genghis Kahn, that in this Baptist controversy, I’d probably be labelled as a backslidden apostate liberal wus. 😉

Funny old world.

(Relevant bit here for those who don’t want to click the article):

Many trustees were also angered by Burleson’s harsh criticism of policies enacted in 2005 that require missionary candidates to be baptized in an SBC church and forbid them from speaking in tongues.

The board first moved to unseat Burleson, then withdrew that motion and moved instead to prohibit public criticism of the board and disclosure of its activities in closed sessions.

Calling the baptism and tongues policies “horrible,” Burleson said the tactics used to stifle debate on the decisions compelled him to go public. He believes the dispute revolves around whether the IMB will cooperate with believers from other denominations.

“The issue is narrowness of doctrine,” Burleson said. “Basically [the two policies] are saying, ‘We’ll tell you who a true Baptist is and what [he or she] looks like. That’s fundamentalism with a capital F. Fundamentalism must be stopped in the SBC.”

Posted in Anglican, Christian | 2 Comments

2008 is the year of the gate (Mark Stibbe prophecy)

Posted on 5 January 2008 by Peter

Just a little something below from Mark Stibbe that I thought you might find encouraging – I did! Perhaps a small ‘ouch’ moment as I hear of yet another kind of anointing, but hey, I’ll be generous and let that pass 😉 .

Pass through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.
Isaiah 62:10

In Hebrew, the number eight is rendered by the letter CHET, which is depicted in the form of a GATE

The number eight is related to new starts and new life in the Scriptures –
Eight is the number of the gate… And I sensed the Holy Spirit saying this:

2008 is the year of the open gate. Prepare to pass through the gate. There are new beginnings ahead for those who have been waiting patiently for their moment to come. Obstacles are being removed. The Father is breaking his children out of a sense of captivity to past restrictions. The anointing for new beginnings is on many in this year. The time of frustration and exile is coming to an end. This is the Lord’s time for his people to rise up and follow him through the gates of opportunity. New starts are looming. Many are on the point of experiencing the new life that convergence brings. And the true church – even though it will know many trials – is on the point of experiencing new life, a new season of vitality and creativity, a brand new Reformation. A highway is being built, stones are being removed, and a banner is being raised for the nations.

So get ready… and do not be afraid. Do not be anxious. 2008 is the year of the gate… And there is a BREAKER ANOINTING on those who are pushing up to the threshold of their opportunity:

One who breaks open the way will go up before them;
they will break through the gate and go out.
Their king will pass through before them,
the LORD at their head
Micah 2:13

Posted in Anglican, Christian, Prophecy | 12 Comments

The plumbline

Posted on 1 January 2008 by Peter

As the new year comes in, I’ve been thinking back to a word I posted at the end of 2006 – A storm is coming (read it here).

I thought this a good time to consider this word again. Make no mistake, I still see this storm, I see the clouds gathering and I think that perhaps now it is easier to see.

What then is the heart of the matter? My heart is that God’s people will wake up, raise their eyes from the trivial objects that hold their fancy, draw a deep breath, look up – and see. Not with the eyes of the world, but with the eyes of a God-inspired heart. What is first in the spiritual translates to the physical. You have been given eyes that can see into the spiritual, can see into the heart of things, therefore now use them.

Do not trust in princes, in the doctrines of men. The wisest is but a craven fool before our Lord God of hosts, of heaven. Only He can see beginning from end, only He holds the stars in His hand, searching and weighing all. Do you see the plumbline? All things are measured in His eyes, all have their foundation in Him. What is of Him never can be shaken, what is not cannot endure.

The plumbline will be held against all – and none can escape it. The eyes of the One that holds the world in His balance will pierce your heart, also. What therefore then can you offer Him? All that seems real will fade dim on that day. All money, homes, cars and possessions, all friends and family, all your good deeds, all positions and powers held, every aspect of your life will be held against that divine plumbline. Where, sinner, can you escape to then? There will be no hiding place, even though the mountain fall on you, you cannot hide.

All excuses, reasons and rationalisations will be seen for what they are, and the full account will be called to be paid. What then, when you realise the pauper that you are? When all secrets are stripped bare and the full motives of the heart revealed? What then, will you stand? It is a terrible thing to fall unredeemed and insensate into the hands of the living God.

We are called to stand, we have to stand firm in Christ, or we will not stand at all. The time is long past for sleeping and slumber. Know then our utter dependency on Christ – our utter and complete need for Him. Not just in part of our lives – but in the dark, buried parts, and paradoxically also in the parts where we feel strong.

Know that there will be events that will sweep the world, and hearts will melt like wax. Therefore the prayer of my heart is that we will be found on that day, ready in Him. In life or death, rich or poor, persecuted or at peace, that we will be found in Christ alone. For there, and only there, is to be found the place to stand.

Posted in Christian, Prophecy | 8 Comments

Happy Christmas

Posted on 25 December 2007 by Peter

May the blessing of Christ be yours this Christmas time!

Posted in Christian | 12 Comments

Trust

Posted on 22 December 2007 by Peter

Something that is being hammered home with me right now is the imperative need to trust. Not in the things that are passing, however solid and reliable they seem right now, but in the only certain Rock of our salvation.

Don’t let me do the talking though, let God speak through the Bible:

Proverbs 3

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Listen to these words, hear them and hold to them.