PARTAAY!

...been reading Luke 14 in The Message:

"When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Then he turned to the host. "The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. You'll be — and experience — a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned — oh, how it will be returned!— at the resurrection of God's people."

Wise words:

HT to Shane Claiborne for reminding me about this passage, when he writes about it in his massively challenging book, The Irresistible Revolution. I recommend the book - go and read it, but I would avoid it if you want to stay comfortable.

Surprise

Janet surprised me with a little unBirthday present (or early Christmas present, whichever way you look at it) when I got home from work last night.

She managed to pick up a copy of Jamie Oliver’s latest tome for me, which was very welcome indeed, as I’ve just started to really enjoy his latest TV show. Some great bedtime reading with this chunky book!

For my money, Jamie’s a top fellah, and an inspiration to us all.

(Probably more of an inspiration than is healthy, if you read this old post from the Headphonaught who very flatteringly describes our house as a

quintessential Naked Chef-style contemporary English farm house with the huge kitchen come dining room with a range cooker and a large, sturdy table.

Now, that I’ve got also just got a shed, constructed with the very able help (I helped, he built it) of a local buddy, I guess I'll have to get out there, start pottering & grown me own veg! :-)

Just cause I want to

Just cause I want to put a picture of my wife on my blog...

...love you, Baby!

Sally Bash

I've blogged before about those times when my tribe gets hauled over the coals in the media.

Although I don't go searching for this kind of stuff, I've stumbled across this tirade, titled "We need salvation from this greedy army" which is pretty hard to swallow.

The Salvation Army is described as "right-wingers in uniforms" and "homophobic religious fundamentalist".

Now, I'm not sure what response - if any - a piece like this should demand. I'm short on facts about the specific cases discussed. The article has been written with the broadest of brush strokes, with....and I'm guessing here....only a limited knowledge and experience of The Savation Army as a global movement. As is so often the case, it's also written from a very North American perspective.

However, as I said in my original post...

we’re not beyond criticism – we do wrong things. Lots of them….and often! Let’s be humble – take the criticism on board when it’s justified – and be gracious in our response when it is not. Sometimes it’s good to be metaphorically hit square between the eyes, just to keep you alert and awake.

For the record; I am neither right-wing in my political views, or homophobic.

All member ministry?

Although this post is heavily weighed towards my own tribe, if you’ve got an opinion, I’d love to hear it.

I’m rolling around some thoughts, which are not necessarily mine, but are worth consideration:

What do we actually understand by “all member ministry”, and can we take it that this is still our position of The Salvation Army as a movement in reality?

In the early days of The Salvation Army, converts were quickly employed in service. Their testimony and their involvement in the mission were powerful weapons in the sharing of the Gospel.

Over the years has this changed? Has our theology over the place of each believer altered? Have we developed a different concept of the place of Officers? (Full time pastors)

If we were to assume and believe that God has given The Salvation Army all it needs today to move our mission (whatever that is) forward today , what action steps would need to be put in place to more effectively promote the concept of all-member ministry?

Any thoughts?

(HT to The Salvation Army Youth - Western Territory, USA site for the pic)

Told you...

Told you I've gone grey/gray.

Hey! It works for Mr Clooney! ;-)

Mia

Today my little baby started school for the 1st time...my independent, funnny, beautiful little lady has started on her journey of full time education, so I figured I'd celebrate with an old pic to remind me of the early days.

Man, my hair's gone so grey since then! ;-)

Happy Birthday James!

My nephew James hit 17 today.

Happy Birthday James.

Now you are a man!

Nunkle J :-)

I'm blessed with THE BEST nephews & niece a man could have.

What a time to visit Scotland

Blogging buddy, and MOSAIC Pastor Eric Bryant is visiting Scotland next week.

Here's the schedule

If any of my Scots blogging buddies are able to make it, tell Eric I sent ya!

J

Get in!!!

My word, what a result!!

France 0 Scotland 1

..and top of the "Group of Death", with World Cup Finalists France & Italy in our wake. It's almost unbelievable.

You made us proud, boys!!

“The thing I love about The Salvation Army is that it is peculiar”

Having previously posted about Shane Claiborne, and his visit to Roots next year, it’s good to be able to read a little interview with Geoff Ryan of the 614 Network at theRubicon*

*theRubicon is an independent, volunteer-driven online magazine. We are Christians with our roots in The Salvation Army. We are doers who have learned that we need to think deeply, rigorously and critically about what we do, why we do it and why there are things we don’t do. “Contemplative activists,” is one way of putting it, or “field theologians.”

The piece was originally written for The Salvation Army in Canada’s Salvationist mag way back in June this year.

September 11th

Time for me to revisit this post, and remember those who died..

Gerroff the table!

ASBO Jesus

A lot of the guys & girls on my blogroll have been directing me to a cool - and very insightful - little blog called ASBO Jesus.

'Toonist Jon Birch gives a helpful explanation:

for the non british among you… an ‘asbo’ is an ‘anti-social behaviour order’… the courts here award them to people who are deemed to be constant trouble in their neighbourhoods… presumably according to their neighbours!

Vox Veniae: 1 year on

Just over a year ago I blogged about a new ministry in Austin, TX, which had grabbed my attention.

Vox Veniae have just celebrated a year together, and it's been quite a story.

They've updated their site, so remain on the cutting edge, with a aesthetically pleasing look that I love.

Check 'em out.

J