Thinking for a Change

09/05/2022

Some people might not like this one…
Orthodoxy and the minority report…

Is there a doctrine or belief that you held true only to discover it hasn’t always been seen that way or that another Christian group see it differently?

A generous belief system is not an arrogant one. Just as in the film, The Minority Report, powerful men found a way to manipulate the truth, so too church history reveals that at times we have crushed a minority report perhaps for policitical reasons. This doesn’t make truth impossible or subjective but it means we might need to allow a minority view to challenge a long held belief/doctrine.
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02/04/2022

How a bunch of politics and religious dissidents in 1649 showed us the way…

“In 1649 to St George’s Hill, a ragged band they called the diggers came to show the people’s will.”

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21/03/2022

A story about a recent experience that challenged me… in so many wonderful ways our society is more accepting of people than ever before BUT we still legislate and descriminate against (and in worst cases hate) people who don’t fit accepted cultural norms. This is a challenge that we can experience beauty in all sorts of ways and in all sorts of places.
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11/03/2022

Challenged by this thought. Which practices have you found most helpful when you want to change something in your life? How do you go about making new habits?

Jesus didn’t just talk to his followers about how to think but he gave them a new way to live, he declared that he was “the way” and they called themselves followers of the way”. Our western tendency is to major on thinking and with a channel named like this one, it’s easy to think that’s all that counts but sometimes our thoughts get the better of us. Sometimes we need practices that sustain us and shape us…

What if instead of the church telling people how to think we helped them answer the question “how then shall I live?”

Which practices have you found most helpful?

03/03/2022

How a troubling account of Old Testament violence may give us a clue about how to pray for the war in Ukraine…

13/02/2022

Peace isn’t the absence of the storm but the presence of Jesus in the boat.

A thread based on my talk today. Pasted from Twitter.

12/01/2022

"A Christian is one who points at Christ and says, ‘I can’t prove a thing, but there’s something about His eyes and His voice. There’s something about the way He carries His head, His hands, the way He carries His cross – the way He carries me.’" - Frederick Buechner
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I am sure there is more we could say about being a Christian but I love this for the way it describes both Jesus humanity and holiness in beautiful juxtaposition.

08/11/2021

This is well worth a read…

Seen by their guardians as sacred, Ethiopia’s church forests are protected and cared for by their priests and their communities. Photographer Kieran Dodds has brought together his images of these oases and the story of the country’s spiritually driven conservation movement in a new book, The Chu...

27/10/2021

What happens when we do things in secret? And what does this have to do with my son’s favourite moment from his camp?!

17/10/2021

Some reflections for today on conflict, injustice and pain, then hope, love and reconciliation.
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23/08/2021

When you get angry, upset or despairing it’s easy to think that praying is the only thing you can do. What if it is actually the best thing you can do?!

“To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” - Karl Barth
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10/07/2021

New video:
An awkward truth and a hopeful reality…

(Not posted many videos recently as Facebook has not been finishing uploads or linking with IGTV properly!)

08/07/2021

The importance of going outside of your echo chamber and avoiding clones and group think…

The England boss has turned to experts outside football to help prepare his team. Should we all take note?

06/05/2021

Continuing about orthodoxy... be wary of those who seek to define orthodoxy in areas not pertaining to faith...

The full quote is longer than the image and indeed forms part of a wider chapter and indeed book called “The Faith of the Church”, an excerpt feom which is pasted below

Karl Barth:
“It is not only out of kindness, out of good nature, that the Creed does not mention hell and eternal death. But the Creed discusses only the things which are the object of the faith. We do not have to believe in hell and in eternal death. I may only believe in the resurrection and the judgment of Christ, the judge and advocate, who has loved me and defended my cause.

The Creed discusses the things to be believed. To believe. It is important to finish with faith. We believe in the Word of God and it is the word of our salvation. The kingdom, the glory, the resurrection, the life everlasting, each one is a work of rescue. Light pierces through the darkness, eternal life overcomes eternal death. We cannot "believe" in sin, in the devil, in our death sentence. We can only believe in the Christ who has overcome the devil, borne sin and removed eternal death. Devil, sin, and eternal death appear to us only when they are overcome.”

04/05/2021

How do we know which beliefs are essential for Christianity and which beliefs allow for disagreement and diversity? Historic orthodoxy helps us with this but you might be surprised about what isn’t included (watch til the end!)

I may not be popular in all quarters for saying this but we need this conversation or we are in danger of developing a far more resistible gospel than the one we have received.

(Apologies for being out of breath... I had run to the shop for milk and was walking back - must get fitter!)

28/04/2021

When you meet someone in person...

How can we really know what God is like?

I should add that there is still lots of mystery involved...

09/03/2021

We’re having weekly chats on clubhouse. I may explore sharing some to here in future but for now if you’re thinking of joining clubhouse I have 10 invites that will also get you straight into the Thinking for a Change club. Use the link below (iOS only at present)

https://www.joinclubhouse.com/join/thinking-for-a-chang/iOIEf7Uo

08/03/2021

God is like Jesus.
God has always been like Jesus.
There has never been a time when God was not like Jesus.
We have not always known what God is like—
But now we do.
(Brian Zahnd)

Having issues posting videos to FB right now, but this quote says it all beautifully anyway :)

02/03/2021

This has always been true but we are becoming more aware of just how true and just how important this is...

24/02/2021

Looking forward to chatting with Keith Giles over on ClubHouse App this evening (9 GMT). Would be great if you can join us. It will be challenging, come with questions and thoughts and less talk...

https://www.joinclubhouse.com/event/MwWbLNDO

Full quote:
“Our hope is not in our nation. We place no faith in politics or policies. Our eyes are set on Jesus. We are looking for a better country. Our goal is to follow our King as obedient ambassadors of Christ. So, if you want to live an untangled life, here’s what I recommend: Don’t allow yourself to become deceived again about the need to vote for the right candidate. Remember, Christians have more than enough power at their disposal to change their nation, and it’s much more effective than casting a vote once every four years. Or, to put it another way, presidents and politicians have much less power than the average Christian when it comes to transformation.”

Keith Giles, Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics to Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb

22/02/2021

‘It is not those who lack faith who complain, but those recognised for strong faith, who bring their most honest and passionate feelings to God.’ - Emmanuel Katongole

Complaining to God is to be encouraged! David made a habit of it. We complain most to those closest to us because we know them best and we know they care. Bring your complaint to God. God sees, hears and listens

09/02/2021

Seems strange sharing his on Facebook...
How do you feel about Tim Cook’s analysis of Facebook and I guess Google/YouTube also?

Looks like it's no more Mr. Nice Guy.

18/01/2021

Power! Should churches and Christians have it?! And what should they do with it?

12/01/2021

Live thoughts T4aC... starting 2021 as I mean to go on

19/11/2020

Have you heard the idea that “opinions are like...... that everyone has one and they are all full of ....”?

It’s belly buttons and fluff in some versions but not all. 😉

I think this perspective sometimes teaches us to hold back from offering a perspective that may bring value.

For example, last night after delivering a presentation a friend went to give me some feedback then retracted. I pressed her and she gave it. It was helpful to hear. I wonder if the understandable desire not to dwell in a plethora of opinions has meant we stop saying things that are actually helpful and important. Sometimes it’s nervousness of upsetting people, sometimes an overinflated “honour culture”, sometimes it’s because we’re not all good at receiving feedback.

I have found myself in recent years more inclined to be honest and say why I disagree or why I prefer something else. This isn’t disunity or nitpicking. I think it’s helpful. However I do worry (constantly) about coming across as argumentative or cynical. I have actually found that when done boldly but with a humble heart it actually helps to share my opinion.

When we do share or someone else shares with us, I think the next step is that we need to the grapple with it together. Sometimes we shut each other down by saying things that imply opinions are not valid or important or just matter of perspective. We should instead delve into each other’s opinions to find truth. If I don’t get pushback then I suppose you think my opinion is not worth commenting on.

We will find that not every opinion holds truth but when we humbly wrestle with each other’s opinions we will sometimes find truth and it may require one or both of us to change our minds. 🤯

My hope is that we can be people who are ready to share and ready to hear the opinions of others and whether offering or hearing be open to pushback and a wrestle for truth.

I don’t see enough of this but when I do I am truly grateful. Please feel free to push back...

12/11/2020

Can’t help but be concerned about this as I watch high profile leaders rise and fall, saying things that don’t help others, doing things that don’t help themselves. But we have to look at ourselves too. We love the culture of celebrity too much. Let’s have fewer false prophets, fewer fallen angels and more everyday heroes...

Quote reads:

Our penchant for pedestaling and making celebrities of Christian leaders is dangerous for both its beneficiaries and those who consume their effluence. We need to remind ourselves of how Jesus wields power so differently to almost every other biblical figure (besides OT Joseph) and indeed almost every ruler before or since.

20/09/2020

Today in the Church Calendar it’s the feast of St Matthew.

Matthew (sometimes called Levi) was working as a tax collector. An often dishonest occupation and an almost always despised one. But Jesus didn’t come to reach the holy, religious or pious. He came to reach everyone, especially those who know that they need help. Matthew knew he needed help. He knew his imperfections and his failings. Jesus knew too but calls him anyway.

Jesus doesn’t tell him he is wrong, Jesus doesn’t tell him to stop, he doesn’t correct him, he simply invites Matthew to follow him.

I love the clip below... setting aside the fact it combines two moments that may not be connected and the overly westernised portrayal of Jesus, I love how Matthew recognises himself in the story Jesus tells.

My prayer is that we all see ourselves in the words of Jesus. But that we are ready that we might be the good character and we might also be the bad character in the story but as we are caught up in the story we accept the invitation to follow...

https://youtu.be/kLCSVjHKQjk

The Bible - The Pharisee and The Tax Collector A scene from The Bible Mini-Series. All rights belong to History Channel.

20/09/2020

Just a thought reflecting on how our frustrations reveal what is most important.

11/09/2020

It’s not that we can’t know, it’s more about humility over certainty; being willing to learn; understanding that we may not have the whole picture and recognising that there is so much more to discover... ..
Quote reads “The more you see the less you know,
The less you find out as you go,
I knew much more then than I do now” from U2: City of Blinding Lights

10/09/2020

08/09/2020

How do you feel about this?

We asked GPT-3, OpenAI’s powerful new language generator, to write an essay for us from scratch. The assignment? To convince us robots come in peace

08/09/2020

Thoughts on truth, certainty and not being sure

29/08/2020

Something about the waves, reminds me that there are some things that are beyond our control... and that’s ok. The sea is powerful, and unstoppable but it breaks on the shore, it’s boundaries are set. The love of God is powerful and unstoppable but it knows no bounds. Yet powerful and unstoppable always inspire awe, fear even. The sea isn’t good or bad, it’s effects can be both depending on weather it’s powering your electricity, pleasing your eye or flooding your home and destroying your village. God is good, powerful, unstoppable, awe inspiring, awesome, to be feared even... but good.

11/08/2020

29/07/2020

Reflection on changing my mind about a song/perspective/theology.

Please let me know your thougths in the comments

08/07/2020

This is an interesting conversation and a needed one on the dangers of illiberalism.

It is very telling that one of the people who signed it felt the need to retract and apologise immediately.

https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/

July 7, 2020 The below letter will be appearing in the Letters section of the magazine's October issue. We welcome responses at [email protected] Our cultural institutions are facing a moment o

02/07/2020

Do we allow our thinking to be challenged? If not, you may not be thinking at all. Changing your mind is often one of the most profound moments in our lives. We regularly want others to change their minds on things that we think or believe but we need to be prepared to do the same.
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The quote in the image reads:
“I feel I change my mind all the time. And I sort of feel that's your responsibility as a person, as a human being — to constantly be updating your positions on as many things as possible. And if you don't contradict yourself on a regular basis, then you're not thinking.” (Malcolm Gladwell)

30/06/2020

What do we mean when we say “the bible says” and is there a better way of saying it?

29/06/2020

Reading one of my favourites with Isaac... the book is about the end of Narnia, the real end. It is outstanding in its commentary on life.

This one stood out last night as a painfully sharp commentary on today’s conversations as it has been always.
Unless we take the time to truly question and understand we are too easily taken in by lies mixed in with small elements of truth.
Don’t allow yourself to be duped by someone who exploits something you value to sell you and idea that is built on falsehood. Think better, be better.