iGod

John's Stott's very last book

I can't fully remember the first time I read John Stott. However, I know that his writing has a lasting impact on my ministry and hopefully those in my beloved church that I have the privilege of leading.

His books have continued to engage me and stretch my mind to think biblically and culturally. He has challenged my on my biblical understanding of Heaven and Hell and help revolutionise my perceptions of what it is to minister to a broken world through compassion and justice.

I was privileged to hear John at a chapel service while I was at college where, unlike other guest speakers, he used a New Testament Greek version to speak from. I was in awe as I sat there colouring in the pretty pictures of my Good News Bible.

What struck me most was his expectation that every student would have the same hunger to go as deep into the theological issues as him.

The post-war Evangelical Church owes so much to John. He has continually brought balance, especially where Evangelicalism has latterly been affected by short-sighted culture-bound thinking, i.e. prosperity teaching.

John has also demonstrated how to make theology accessible to all, a gift not insignificant, often bringing much needed clarity to tricky subjects. A sure sign that he has got to grips with the issues and wrestled with them.

So now I hear from Mark Meynell at All Souls, London that John Stott has written his absolute final book. (At 89 years old, I think we can all let him put down his pen now, don't you?)

According to Mark, his new book, The Radical Disciple is not so much new material as a reflection of things we may have heard or read elsewhere. What is remarkable is, as a man in in ninth decade, he still wants to be seen as a radical disciple!

I borrow from Mark's excellent blog for an outline of themes covered in the book:

1. Non-Conformity: “we are neither to seek to preserve our holiness by escaping from the world nor to sacrifice our holiness by conforming to the world” (p19)
2. Christlikeness: “we are to be like Christ in his incarnation, in his service, in his love, in his endurance, and in his mission” (p38)
3. Maturity: “may God give us such a full, clear vision of Jesus Christ, first that we may grow into maturity ourselves, and secondly that, by faithful proclamation of Christ in his fullness to others, we may present others mature as well.” (p53)
4. Creation-Care: “God intends our care of the creation to reflect our love for the Creator” (p65)
5. Simplicity: “All Christians claim to have received a new life from Jesus Christ. What lifestyle, then, is appropriate for them? If the life is new, the lifestyle should be new also” (p71)
6. Balance: “We are both individual disciples and church members, both worshippers and witnesses, both pilgrims and citizens. Nearly all our failures stem from the ease with which we forget our comprehensive identity as disciples.” (p102)
7. Dependence: “We are all designed to be a burden to others… The life of the family, including the life of the local church family, should be one of ‘mutual burdensomeness.‘” (p113)
8. Death: “If we want to live we must die. And we will be willing to die only when we see the glories of the life to which death leads. This is the radical, paradoxical Christian perspective.” (p135)

Mark also makes a useful comment on the symmetry of John supposedly last book at the time The Living Church with The Radical Disciple:

• In The Living Church, he expounds the key hallmarks of what constitutes Church life, in all its diversity, challenges and joys.
• In The Radical Disciple, he expounds the key hallmarks of a Christian’s life, again in all its diversity, challenges and joys.

One for the bookshelf.

Meanwhile, I am off down to the Vineyard National Leaders Conference in Butlins, Bognor Regis this week. Undoubtedly, I will see the effect this much loved pastor-theologian has had on our young movement in one way, shape or form among us.

I'll bring you back a stick of rock.

ASD

Ever get tired of talking and just want to do the stuff? Me too.

One of the things that turned me off the Church many years ago as a young man was that people were always talking at me. I got advice whether I wanted it or not. It eventually drove me away. The Church can talk a good game for sure.

When I was at theological college I was talked at for another three years. Though this time voluntarily and pretty enjoyable it was too. However, I got to the end of the course and found myself desperate to just do the stuff. I had enough of sitting in a classroom. I wanted to get my hands dirty.

The problem is Church can only be a school. It sounds all good preached on Sundays and discussed in small groups midweek, but leaves you feeling unexercised.  A bit like watching a cookery programme on TV, but never getting to cook the recipe for yourself and taste all its flavours.

In the Vineyard we often paint the picture of the church through what we call 'Vineyard Man'. We say that the Church can be seen metaphorically as an army, a hospital, a family and...a school. We all need training, but the best discipling happens on the job.

John Wimber used to say it is not good enough to say "I will pray for you". You have get up and go and pray with them. Neither is it good enough to say you "care for the poor". Go care for the poor!

James writes: 'If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?' (James 2:16)

At the end of the day, words are simply not enough. We need to be 'doers of the Word'.

Jason Scott over in Dungannon Vineyard in that beautiful part of the Emerald Isle felt three years ago that God ask him the question “If Vineyard Church closed the doors tomorrow would anyone in our community know or more importantly would anyone care?”

It really is true that actions speak louder than words. Not only that but they get remembered. Child psychologists will tell you that children remember considerably more by what is shown than what is said.

One of the things we always set out to be since our inception two years ago was to be a giving church. For me in the last 15 months I have been helped to see that in the context of being an outward-focused church. For this much thanks must be given to Dave Workman and the guys at in Cincinnati Vineyard for their inspiration to live servant-like lives. Not forgetting the man himself Steve Sjogren.

I am warmed by the those around me in our church and other churches we have relationship with who have graciously heard me bang on to the point of passing out about living an outward-focused life and are now giving it a go themselves. They are in for a treat.

For me, I can see no greater privileged than serving others. It gives me such a buzz.

When John Wimber said all those years ago as a  new Christian after studying the Book of Acts in his home group "When do we get to do the stuff?" I still find myself getting stirred by his honest response.

Nothing inspires me more than when someone comes up to me and says they'd like to do this or that. Most times out of ten it is out of a prayerful response to follow what they see the Father is doing. We don't just want to read the Word, but do the works, don't we? That's the fun part.

And that is all we can do or should want to do. I mean, after all, why settle for second best for ourselves?

Will 2010 be a year of doing or a year of talking? I guess it is our choice, isn't it?  Live for ourselves or live for Him. No contest, really.

ASD

The Outward Focused Life - book review

This is a great book to read for anyone who is really serious about meeting people outside of their own church's walls, and making an impact for the gospel in a non-religious way. It is a simple, yet challenging read that allows plenty of room for reflection.

Vineyard pastor Dave Workman writes his anecdotal thoughts often with humour and in a self-effacing way that gets the reader to believe that they could do the same things as his own church members.

The way it is written, in bite-sized collections of stories and reflections, makes it an ideal book to pick up and put down.

The book's sub-heading,"Becoming a Servant in a Serve-Me World" certainly lives up to its title that's for sure. It also makes a great complement to Steve Sjogren's book: Conspiracy of Kindness.

Lastly, although we might, from an UK perspective, temper some of the suggestions through the lens of our own culture, it shouldn't stop us from seeing its potential to revolutionise the way we do church. Good stuff!

ASD