Day 284 and I found some new inspiration.

Day 284 and sorry for the less than regular blogging going on just now ......something to do with a writers block thing going on.

Seeking inspiration I hunted down some new writers. Ended up with a book called Good News for Anxious Christians @ Phillip Cary.

This book delivered. in fact it delivered so well I had to have one of my orthodox, reformed theological anchors read the book. Naturally I'm drawn to thinking that is outside of the box, on the edge, left of center and tending towards heresy! When you grow up in the faith and for decades have read and heard the teachings of the Scriptures - it needs a new sound to inspire you.
Obviously here the secret is to be inspired without becoming a heretic. Hence my anchors, as well as a solid theological education and constant reading in the field of orthodoxy.

Phillip Cary successfully delivers a new sound and new inspiration. Watch for this book appearing on our church resource shelves in the coming weeks.

Here's an excerpt from his chapter on "Why You Don't Have to 'Let God Take Control'":

Where did we get the idea that the Lord doesn't allow us to make ordinary human mistakes?We are not supposed to sin, of course, but there are many kinds of mistakes that are not sin, such as the mistakes we make when we're just learning how to use our talents well. Being fallible creatures, we have to make some mistakes in order to learn. But it will be difficult for us to learn from our mistakes if we don't admit to ourselves that we're the ones making them. This is one of the most important ways that the new evangelical theology has the effect of preventing people from becoming responsible adults.

And then here's the line, the inspiring line:

It's often put this way: God can't work in your life unless you let him. This is an astonishing piece of fantasy. Where in the Bible or anywhere else in God's creation did people get the idea that God was so helpless? If God can't do anything unless we let him, then God is not really God, and indeed he is less real than any person we know.

WOW!!
Cary writes on 10 topics that so often plague modern Christians causing anxiousness and fear. Teaching from seemingly good pulpits by well intended pastors - but sadly error that hurts and harms Christian health.

Wise Christians are becoming smarter at discerning that the truth is often stranger than it's been made to sound over the past many years.

At Redeemer's Church we're working hard at preaching the Gospel not just to people who've never heard it before, but also to Christians.

Day 275 and what I really think about visiting Africa.

Day 275 .....and I borrow my leadership blog from Week 40.

It's time to be honest.
Not that I'm dishonest at other times. But, sometimes I choose not to share my more personal or vulnerable thoughts. This blog is me going to a more personal level than other times - and hence, more honest.

Here's my honesty - I don't really like going to Kenya, Africa.
I love the guys we partner with; I love our driver/agent Ben; I love all that's happening in the Furaha Community Huruma Centre, part of the Furaha Community Foundation; I love the first thing in the morning and the smells, aroma and sunrise of Kenya. But, i don;t really like going to Africa.

It's a hard journey - two major long flights.
It's a hard place to stay - my guy hurts for the entire time I'm there.
It's a hard place to lead - as team leader you are constantly aware that you are in a desperate city, a city that saw a terrorist attack against Americans; a city filled with desperate people seeing white people as targets; it's a place where the word police does not always equal justice but more often equal corruption.
It's a hard place to relax - travel through 10 time zones, hit the ground running, force yourself to sleep at the wrong times, swallow malaria meds, avoid the bad bacteria you are surrounded by; travel in a matatu with dust pouring into your lungs ...as well as hitting potholes, enduring near misses, sit in pollution clogged air, constantly watch over your shoulder.
Entering Kenya, Africa is hard and I don't really like doing it.

But during the past three years I've lead a team into a large slum in Nairobi twice a year.

This visit one of our team asked me why I keep going on the trips?

My answer - I have to, for my sake!

Not that I want to appear selfish, but, I have to find a way to keep myself exposed to some of the worst poverty on the face of the globe.
I have to find a way to keep myself aware of the reality of 60% of the world's population.
I have to find a way to be among the poorest of the poor and be where Jesus would be.

My spiritual leadership is dependent upon understanding true reality, and that reality has to involve the reality of what's happening in our globe and with the majority of humanity.

If I don't go, and go regularly (we so easily forget or switch off) I will move towards a self focused existence and a skewed view of reality.

But it does more.
It pushes me to maintain spiritual leadership as a faith exercise.

Let's be honest. Sometimes in the leading of a local church autopilot can kick in.
I've been doing this for over 10 years. Putting together a preach, leading staff, leading a congregation can too easily be done out of experience and not out of faith.
But when you enter Huruma slum and you see the chaos, hopelessness, desperateness of daily life, the though about seeing transformation come through the presence of Christ - the only way such could happen is through a moving of God. that is a act of faith, not an act of experience or professional pastoring.
Going to Kenya, Africa and the hardness of going ......renews the call of faith, the cry for more faith, the reliance upon faith and faith alone.

Going - is a spiritual necessity for effective spiritual leading.

Anyone want to join me?
Anyone want a shot of renewed, invigorated, desperate faith?