Saturday, 9 September 2006

Tick, tick, tick, bomb!

Just back from FORUM 2006: Ignition. It rocked. The gospel, faithful and challenging Bible teaching from Graham Daniels & Rico Tice, and around 500 student CU leaders, Relay workers and CU staff workers, a big top tent, lots of washing up, a whole evening of prayer for world mission, and an open mic night which rounded off with an incredible post-punk lyrical performance from Dan Peterson (new CUSW in Scotland).

I had a particularly nostalgic moment. My first time at FORUM, we sang 'There is a Day' [mp3] by the Fellinghams. It's an excellent song full of Scripture pointing us to long for the day when we'll see Jesus face to face and be like him (even if the fill-in 'oh yeah, o-oh yeah!' rather amused my friend & I). Then this FORUM, my first time as a CUSW, didn't we have Lou and Nathan Fellingham along to sing some new songs to us (including some from Lou's wonderful new album Treasure), and they sang 'There is a Day'. All it lacked was my friend struggling not to laugh at the Oh yeahs.
Oh yeah.
I would say things come round in circles, except they don't: history is linear, heading to the goal of being under one head, even Christ.

Things Of Note (or TON, not to be confused with Thon, which is tuna, in French) -

STUDENTS get great discounts on great books courtesy of a UCCF student card. GRADUATES get a special conference - to equip you to live for Jesus and speak for Jesus in the workplace - with The Don (Carson) and Stott speaking.

Dieu traqique

Si j'ai bien toute ma mémoire
Disait Dieu dans un coin du ciel
J'avais commençé une histoire
Sur une planète nouvelle, toute bleue
Bleue, pour ne pas qu'on la confonde
Je vais aller m'asseoir sur le rebord du monde
Voir ce que les hommes en ont fait

J'y avais mis des gens de passage
J'avais mélangé les couleurs
Je leur avais appris le partage
Ils avaient répété par cœur
«Toujours» ! tous toujours dans la même ronde
Je vais aller m'asseoir sur le rebord du monde
Voir ce que les hommes en ont fait

Je me souviens d'avoir dit aux hommes
Pour chaque fille une colline de fleurs
Et puis j'ai planté des arbres à pommes
Où tout le monde a mordu de bon cœur
Et partout, partout des rivières profondes
Je vais aller m'asseoir sur le rebord du monde
Voir ce que les hommes en ont fait

Soudain toute la ville s'arrête
Il paraît que les fleuves ont grossi
Les enfants s'approchent, s'inquiètent
Et demandent «pourquoi tous ces bruits ?»
Sans doute, Dieu et sa barbe blonde
Dieu qui s'est assis sur le rebord du monde
Et qui pleure de le voir tel qu'il est !

Dieu qui s'est assis sur le rebord du monde
Et qui pleure de le voir tel qu'il est.

- Francis Cabrel, 6/6/93
J'aime beaucoup la chanson française et j'adore ce CD de Cabrel qu'on m'a donné - Samedi soir sur la terre. Mais il faut dire, son idée de Dieu est triste. Il me semble qu'il a l'impression que ce monde est tragique, qu'il manque de sens («Est-ce que ce monde est sérieux ?»); et Cabrel projette cette image pour imaginer Dieu. Son dieu est impuissant et triste face au péché de l'homme. Il dit même (dans La cabane du pêcheur),
Y a sûrement quelqu'un qui écoute
Là-haut dans l'univers
Peut-être tu demandes plus qu'il ne peut ?
Mais pourquoi imaginer un dieu impuissant ? Si on reconnaît l'existance de dieu ici, c'est sûrement à cause de son création, qui manifeste son pouvoir ! Non, en ce cas, ce n'est pas principalement qu'on a oublié son pouvoir de créateur suprême - c'est parce que nous nous sommes élevés en comparaison - d'après nous - au niveau d'autorité ! En declarant fort notre liberté à faire du mal, nous imaginons que nous avons fait de dieu un impuissant. Ah, le pauvre dieu, il se perds un peu face à notre rébellion.

Euh, ramenons-nous à la réalité ? Genèse 3 ?

Si on reconnaît qu'il existe un dieu bon et créateur, et que nous sommes pécheurs, qu'il soit triste et impuissant est attirant. C'est tragique. On peut écrire des chansons au sujet. Ca n'aide rien, ni change rien, mais on sent un peu mieux. Pauvre dieu.

Mais un dieu bon et créateur, qui face aux pécheurs est puissant et fâché; de cela on n'écrit pas de chansons.

Gloire à Dieu tout-puissant qui nous a fourni un solution au problème de notre rébellion et sa colère, de lequel on peut bien chanter !
Jésus Christ... existant en forme de Dieu, n'a point regardé comme une proie à arracher d'être égal avec Dieu, mais s'est dépouillé lui-même, en prenant une forme de serviteur, en devenant semblable aux hommes; et ayant paru comme un simple homme, il s'est humilié lui-même, se rendant obéissant jusqu'à la mort, même jusqu'à la mort de la croix.

C'est pourquoi aussi Dieu l'a souverainement élevé, et lui a donné le nom qui est au-dessus de tout nom, afin qu'au nom de Jésus tout genou fléchisse dans les cieux, sur la terre et sous la terre, et que toute langue confesse que Jésus Christ est Seigneur, à la gloire de Dieu le Père.
- Philippiens 2:5-11

Friday, 1 September 2006

Flemish mayor bans French

The mayor of Merchtem, Belgium, has just banned French from being spoken in schools in the region.

Mais pourquoi ? Maar waarom ?

This is understandable and will help integration. Belgium has 3 federal communities - Flanders (north, near the Netherlands, speaking Flemish), Wallonia (south, near France, speaking French), and Brussels (middle, supposedly bilingual, in effect 85% French speaking). Merchtem is in Flanders. The schooling is of course given in Flemish, and with a fair number of francophone Belgians settling in the area, he wants to preserve the Flemish culture of the schools and ensure that the francophone children integrate rather than forming a francophone sub-community within the schools.

This is petty and seeking votes. The Flemish currently resent Wallonia because Flanders is currently economically stronger, and resent the Walloons for settling in Flemish towns and francophonising them - the communes [think local council regions] in & around Brussels are the particular sore point. So a strong line for Flanders does well in elections. Next communal elections? October.

Two sides to any story eh?

Meanwhile, the British government is providing council literature (health care, schooling, etc.) in immigrant languages so that they don't have to learn English and integrate. In Belgium, English is frequently the solution - the neutral language everyone learns and speaks well so they can communicate between the official languages. In England, it seems English is the problem - the official language no-one learns and speaks well...

But perhaps it's the reverse culture shock speaking.

Tuesday, 29 August 2006

Praying friends

Praise God for friends, for friends who practice hospitality, for friends getting together after a while, for friends prepared not just to have friends round for a lovely evening but to pray together.

Saturday, 26 August 2006

Concentration

Another driving lesson this morning - and I discovered that in England not only are drivers in the first year of their full license not restricted (as in Norn Iron) to 45mph, but neither are learners restricted! So there I was merrily aiming at 45 on a dual carriageway and I found my instructor urging me on to 70mph - that was a rude shock.

While driving, my instructor asked me what I'd been away at this week. A training conference for the start of my job, I replied. The obvious question followed - what was my job? At that point I had running through my mind Tim Rudge's exhortations and excellent advice on how to explain what we do. Unfortunately though, having only got back last night from the conference, I hadn't had time to think through this and work out how I'd answer this question well. So, concentrating hard and going into 3rd gear, I managed something like, 'I work with students ['We'll be turning right at the next junction'] - I help them investigate the Bible, and who Jesus is, so that they'll trust in him ['SLOW DOWN FOR THE JUNCTION - how much of the road can you see?'] and know how to follow him.'
'Ah, ok. ... Well I won't be asking you any more questions as you clearly can't concentrate on the road at the same time.'

Great.

Monday, 21 August 2006

Fighting for justice

I was pondering double predestination yesterday, not studying in-depth: it just popped into my head with something someone said. And my thoughts were running something like: 'What's the problem? Everyone deserves hell, so God is just. The problem is not sending wicked people to hell; the problem is his mercy saving some. And that was shown to be just at the cross...' Then this morning, voilà - Challies posts something along the lines.

Wednesday, 16 August 2006

EverAfter

EverAfter Theatre Company's latest production is 'Hudson Taylor', based on the life of the pioneering missionary to China of the same name. It is being toured in association with OMF, the missionary organisation that he founded.
EverAfter’s brand new one man show is a dramatic retelling of the incredible true story of James Hudson Taylor, missionary to China. He was a man of great commitment to God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to reaching the Chinese people. His is a story of shipwrecks, riots, love, bereavement and success against all the odds. Hudson Taylor's life is one of remarkable faith, of both great joy and great sorrow and, above all, it is the story of the great God whom Hudson loved to serve. His story, interwoven with stories of missionaries in China today, is a profound encouragement and challenge and perfect for a riveting night's theatre.
The story of Hudson Taylor will be a great inspiration to churches in their faith, prayer and mission as well as being a great event to which to invite non-Christians. The show is touring in the UK from October 6th 2006 until March 31st 2007 and is offered free of charge to churches.

If you think that your church may be interested in hosting a performance, email to be sent the full promotional literature.

This should be good folks: get it booked for your church!