Baker, Brewin & Pope Benedict

Followed Jonny Baker's link to Kester Brewin's blog concerning Pope Benedict's current "conversations" with some of the Muslim faith community.

http://thecomplexchrist.typepad.com/the_complex_christ/

Well worth a look, well worth a thought, well worth a prayer.

Shane Claiborne

Reading Shane Claiborne's Irresistible Revolution (thanx Mr Johnny!)

Anything that has the endorsements of Tony Campolo, Brian McClaren, Ron Sider, Tom Sine & forward by Jim Wallis, has to be a dangerous read.

This from the introduction;


"Most Christian artists & preachers have remained strangely distant from human suffering, offering the world eternal assurance over prophetic imagination. Perhaps it should not surprise us that Jesus says that if the Christians remain silent, then the rocks, or rock stars will cry out!"

I turn each new page with the mixed emotions of excitement & trepidation!

Watch out for further extracts, reflections etc or better still get yourself a copy. (don't ask Mr Johnny as I have his well thumbed copy!)

He moves in mysterious ways

I heard some life-stories at our gathering yesterday which reminded me that despite my doubts, fears, questions & tendency to be pessimistic,
"God still moves stones". (Thanx Max!)


These tales told openly, tearfully, honestly & laughingly caused my often sceptical heart to sing.
Girl saved from Ghanian waves by "Antoine the six-pack"
Street people give girls money to take to church!
A street corner named "laughter"
Croatian poems about Belfast City.
Student takes open heart & willing spirit to serve in Africa.
Tales of Tigers, cliff's & strawberries.

Yes we know only too well that for each of these, there are other stories of heartbreak & sorrow.
It is our willingness to walk with these tensions, that demands real courage, real community & real faith.

We will not know the times or seasons, if we did, we'd have enough knowledge to screw it up!

We are, most of the time, a people who live in the now & not yet mysteries of God.

We re grateful that every now & again, "heaven comes down".