Why knowing what you, and others, are known for matters

Drop out points in youth ministry.

Spiritual gifts.

Apologetics.

Sex and relationships.

Ministry to young men.

Youth leader training.

Principals of preaching and communication.

These are some of the things I was known for during my ministry career.

I could speak on them confidently, and I hope, helpfully.

On occasions, I would be brought in to lead other groups in these areas.

But, there were some things that I didn’t specialise in. Anything but.

Worship leading.

Social justice.

Pastoral care.

Sure, I could talk about these topics, but I knew others who had a passion for them.  They could talk your ear off for hours.

And, when I wanted to help others in these areas, I would direct them to someone who specialised in that area.

This is the advantage of knowing the strengths of those around you. 

After all, no one should be committed to doing ministry alone.

Do atheists avoid church like fatties avoid the gym?

I’m not obese. I’m not fit either. I’m probably closer to the latter than the former. 

But I go to the gym.

it’s not unusual that I’m the fattest person there.

And I’m not really fat. Just a bit of dad-bod-podge.

So, where are all the fat people at my gym? 

Shouldn’t the gym be for them? Or is the gym just for those who are already fit?

I wonder this because I think many of the same reasons obese people avoid the gym reflect the reasons atheists don’t go to church.

The “professionals” at the gym, and church, are considered weirdos who take it all a bit too seriously...

Those who choose to attend, by already being fit, have already achieved what an unhealthy person wants. 

Physically, the space is intimidating. It has rules, both written and unwritten. It has devices which you may be unfamiliar with and unsure how to use.

Potentially, when change doesn’t appear quickly, the gym can be demoralising. 

Worse still, you may think that the gym isn’t making any difference at all.

In some cases, you may feel that the gym is only after your money via a membership, driven by pushy salespeople.

In many ways, the church can seem intimidating, foreign, pointless and pushy. 

And when the church exists like a gym - existing primarily to serve those who already fit in - then it shouldn’t be surprising that those “on the outside” choose to stay there.

How long until your relationship becomes prayer-able?

Prayer points.

Christians are expected to share them.

Share them with their closest friends.

Share them with their small group.

Share them with their church.

So, last night, after my small group shared their prayer points, I asked a provocative question to the singles in the room.

Would you ask for prayer if you had a date on the weekend?

The room was fairly divided.

I understand, if it’s a date with a random, you may be hesitant to ask for prayer - particularly if you have a fairly active dating schedule. But, as someone pondered, shouldn’t that situation need prayer, if nothing else, for safety? That they aren’t a creepy weirdo?

Some expressed that they may ask for prayer once things are progressing. 

But, where is the prayer line? The fourth date? When you’re getting ready to “define the relationship”? When you first go public?

One thing that a few people said was dependent upon the other romance participant being known to the group. But, does that potentially make it more awkward? What if others don’t think you’ll make a good match? Does sharing your embryonic relationship enhance the pressure upon it?

Frankly, I don’t know the answer, but I’m sure glad that it isn’t my problem anymore...

Tiny Bible Bit audit results

After tracking almost a decades worth of Facebook devotions, here’s the things which were significant...

Total posts - 1474 (Sept 25, 2011-Feb 24, 2021)

Most popular books - Matthew 136 posts, John 116, Luke 113, Psalms 106

Least popular books - Joel, Obadiah, Zephaniah all with no posts

Most popular passages - Genesis 1:1 & John 3:16 x7, Esther 4:14 & Hebrews 12:1-2 x6, Matt 1:1; 1:23; John 1:14; Romans 12:1 & Hebrews 10:25 x5

Number of Christmas posts - 34

Number of Easter posts - 24

Number of posts on the Lord’s Prayer - 19

Number of posts about COVID - 11

Most viewed boosted post - Matthew 2:16 8011 views, 176 likes, 30 shares

Boost rejected - Mark 5:25-26, apparently Facebook couldn’t handle the word period...

Most viral post - Psalm 19:1-6 389 views

Disunity starts with the convinced tribe

There is a massive, and significant, difference between disagreement and disunity in a church.

Numbers.

If I disagree with the leadership of my church - about anything - then I have the option of how to deal with that issue. Ideally, it would be handled in a mature way such as having an open and honest conversation, deciding that this issue is something you can live with/overlook or, over important enough issues, you may choose to leave with grace and goodwill.

But disunity - an ecclesiastical sin peppering the New Testament - is a different beast to disagreement. For, you sow and grow disunity when you start to gather a group.

Say, for example, that you disagree with the length of the sermons at your church. Disunity develops when you unhelpfully share your opinion with others and have them join your cause. By rallying a group together, this gives disunity a foothold.

So, the next time you want to vent about a gripe you have in church, just be careful that you’re not plunging in the planks of disunity which will ultimately splinter a church.

Summer goal learnings

First of all... learnings is not a real world. I know. Someone should inform 2020. Learnings were everywhere...

Anyway... I may not be the greatest mathematician in the world, but even I know that 2 out of 7 is a fail.

This was the outcome of my summer goals.

2 Successes. 5 Fails.

But, in reality, there’s more to it.

Sure, I failed in my weight goal, but lockdown made going to the gym difficult.

I read a book and a half, which is short of my goal, but it’s more than I would have done otherwise and was directly influenced by the toll the Tiny Bible Bit audit took.

I did do a few medical tasks, but again... COVID didn’t help.

So, what did I learn?

Well, to start, I did still completely fail two goals. Such is life. These goals remain.

More importantly, I did make progress on a few very pressing tasks which I’d been meaning to do for quite a while.

Vitally, I did more that I would have done - no matter to what degree - than if I hadn’t made my summer goals.

Really, this is the point. 

Having something to aim at - even if you only achieve a few of them and make progress on a few more - makes a difference. It starts with enough personal reflection to make goals and keeps these goals before you.

Thus concludeth the learnings.