John P Kee Chill Out

It's a Sunday morning where I should be chilling, but I'm here in Stoke traipsing all over the place with a 6ft 9in settee which me mate reckons can fit in the window of the crib in which we live. It will have to as it can't fit in the door! Then as well as that there's a wedding to attend this afternoon. As long as I've got this evening to chill and can also get me own stuff done tomorrow including finding a solution to me ongoing IT problem, I'll be fine.

So enduring all that it's good to have some good music to encourage me at a lull point. Enjoy this quality batch of JPK material.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Overcoming Gospel Assumption Challenges

Now relocated back at the Dryden Family base in Stoke-on-Trent and I’m glad for the weekend spent with my brother, his wonderful wife and their beautiful baby boy. We’ve been to Milton Keynes three times in the last two months and it always feels like a bit of a holiday going down there. It’s just cool chilling with them and their hospitality is ace. Sometimes it can be a bit suffocating going from one activity to another and it’s good to break it up with quality family time.

One of the things I learnt whilst down in MK and then in Harlesden for the blessing of their beautiful baby boy was the difficulty it is in actually getting second generation church children to genuinely having saving faith in Christ. In conversations and on reflection I saw how difficult it can be to have children who have been brought up in church to develop their own living faith in Christ that is free from the forms of Christian community in which they’ve grown and is solely based on their relationship with Christ.

One of the reasons that appears to be the case in my particular experience is that the gospel is easily assumed. It is not often refreshed and reinforced in the common life of the community. Likewise individuals are not challenged and encouraged in their sharing of the gospel not only among non-believers but among themselves and their families. Subsequently secondary issues are prioritised and we get wrapped up in petty issues of morality that is unrelated to dynamic spiritual growth in love and even more dangerously is completely detached from the crucial work of marrying heavenly pursuits with earthly sojourning. It is into such petty squabbles that people from the second generation feel obliged to join the church without any real sense of conviction or the desperate need for a new Spirit-filled life in Christ.

You may have noticed the running theme of the last few blog entries or so on biblical literacy. The link here is that in an environment not primarily focussed on Christ but the stuff around that like churchianity the Bible is not seen as a doorway in developing relationship with Christ but as a rule-book to maintain the status quo. Something that Jesus says gets to the heart of the problem with this approach to God’s Word.

You search the Scriptures, because you think you will find eternal life in them. The Scriptures tell about me, but you refuse to come to me for eternal life. (John 5:39, 40)

That mentality of getting the Word right but missing the whole point of the Word still dominates aspects of church life and infects that second generation factor of preserving the status quo rather than growing in grace and allowing others to do so and the necessary changes to church life that will bring. As a result it is no surprise that young people get frustrated with church life and members are virtually dying where they are because events come and events go but little changes in the actual lives of God’s people.

The answer to this issue is the individual impact we can make as we are convicted by the Spirit in how to make disciples. The answer lies in how we can build intentional confessional relationships with Jesus as the priority. The answer lies in how the personal individual vertical devotion and commitment to Christ segues into relational communal horizontal gospel connections that are not about boosting self-esteem but rather focussing on Christ-esteem and the sacrificial lifestyle based on righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

We have a great opportunity of walking with Christ in our day to day lives and episodes of insight He gives as He leads us to fulfil His call on us. Focus on that I believe will have an impact on these issues and see genuine disciples being made convicted of sin, filled with the Spirit and committed to pursuing God with all they have and becoming Christ-like day by day.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

Nothing Personal Part 3

I’m on the finishing strait of this mini diversion from the fasting series – after this just one more part to post and we’re done! The inspiration for this was a series of things happening on Tuesday that conspired to bring this about. I’ve shared my journey from being close-minded to a more considered approach to different expressions of Christian faith. I’ve also identified my dear friend Pete Orton from Burton-on-Trent who has helped me in relationship reaching the position I’m in.

Now what you’ve read up to this point has been fairly harmless stuff. These be Just mere thoughts from the head of a professing follower of Christ who is as flaw-ridden as the next follower. From here on, however, things may get a bit rocky for certain Christians and non-Christians alike. So before you start reeling off correspondence, remember the crucial disclaimer from the first part – remember it. Now the thing about disclaimers and this one is no different that you can still read it, read the rest of what I’m about to say and be offended. Be seriously aggrieved. Be mighty put off and think that in as much as you thought that CD was alright that he’s revealed his true colours and he’s a rather arrogant, nasty piece of work who has this high convoluted view of faith. Can’t stop you having those views or any others. Go ahead and have them. I’d like to think, however, that it wouldn’t change my views on things at this time. Still the disclaimer is there all the same.

The link between what’s gone on before and this series on Nothing Personal is that it was whilst I was with Pete on Tuesday that the things happened that brought about this series of thoughts. An incident took place among a group of us that left things in a rather baffled state. What it brought to mind was something I said to Pete later on and that was it’s nothing personal, it’s something spiritual. Earlier on in the day I had read Luke 9:1 about Jesus giving power and authority over demons and that verse in itself arrested my thoughts for the rest of the day and was useful for that scenario at least in encouraging me to fight the battle at the level at which it was being fought.

We’re reminded again of that bizarre episode in scripture where one minute Jesus appears to be calling Peter the rock on which the church will be built with the gates of Hades never prevailing against it, and then a few verses later he appears to be calling Peter the devil. Now I don’t know about you, but if I were Pete, I’d be a bit hurt and confused, because one minute I’m being called the rock and the next minute I’m the devil himself, what’s that all about?

Not only that but in another episode Jesus is talking to Peter about how the devil wanted to sift him as wheat but he’d been prayed for so that when he got over it he would encourage his brothers. So one minute he’s Pete, the next he’s the Rock, the next he’s the devil and then he’s the target for the devil! That’s quite a series of identity changes, non?

My understanding of what’s going on here is the reality of spiritual warfare and where we humans are in the midst of everything. Scripture points out that the prince of this world has blinded our eyes. The narrative of the mission of Christ is to a people who have been captivated by death, disease and the devil. Jesus has come on a rescue mission that’s why we refer to Him among other things as our Saviour. We’re also informed that we cannot serve two masters … that in itself is pretty indicative that we’re going to serve someone or something.

By nature despite being made in the image of God the curse of Adam means we do not have the natural default to serve God. So it doesn’t matter how good we look or what apparent good things we do or how good we are, at the essence of our being where we are meant to be connected to God there is a fatal disconnect. That disconnect has thankfully been sorted thanks to the Cross, but it is now for people to acknowledge that and thus go from serving gods to serving the One True God.

In the meantime we have all sorts of expressions of fallen man. Some are misguided and oblivious to how misguided they are. Some stumble in the dark but proudly denounce anyone who would have the arrogance and temerity to suggest that there is a truth to be found and a light to guide us to that truth – such claims, we are told by these experts, are dangerous and behind many of man’s inhumanity to man. There are many others and the theme is familiar – failure to acknowledge the Sovereign Creator of the universe.

This is what makes the gospel so incendiary in many places because it does have the temerity to declare a single all embracing, comprehensive truth. That truth is the existence of God and His role in His creation as redeemer coming in the form of a man to satisfy righteous judgement and restore man back to Himself to recognise their place to bring Him glory. People will not accept that. People will enjoy the love part of the story, and enjoy the bit about apparently being the object of the sacrificial love, but they will not accept responsibility or their own divisive, rebellious nature to a Power that defines Himself as Yahweh reveals in Scripture.

That is why the power in the gospel us so amazing because it and it alone saves people – not intelligence, not works, not any other measure of man – only faith in the revealed Son of God and His restorative, atoning work at Calvary.

In the final part of this series I’ll wrap things up and show how that plays a part in subsequent conversations with people who are not yet of the faith who come with particular … baggage. Make sure you join me for that final part of this series. As ever your views are welcome.

For His Name's Sake

Shalom

dmcd

A Brief Note On The Gospel: When A Plan Comes Together

It gives me great pleasure and I glorify God that with this post this year’s blog postings already exceeds the posts put up in the entirety of last year! It’s not even half way through February yet and God has allowed me to be faithful in this note-taking ministry. I trust that this is just the beginning of even greater consistency in posting insights as I get them and better ones as well as I co-operate with God through His Spirit.

I love the phrase ‘practicing Christian’. It suggests so much. It suggests that you’re actually putting things together for a proper performance. Secondly there is the element of actually like a doctor doing what you’re there to do – be a Christian. There’s a lot of timidity in some circles from professing being a follower of Christ. That’s understandable because it does come across as rather arrogant and proud to suggest that you are indeed a disciple of Christ. Yet for all that I profess to follow Jesus Christ. I fail often, but His grace allows me to eventually get over it and get back on the path for His Name’s Sake.

Part of that following sees me being given great opportunities to share and facilitate sessions to explore what it is to follow Jesus. We’re currently going through a 26 week series looking at the basics of belief and in that overall series we’re doing a trilogy on the tragedy to triumph story of the bigger picture of God’s plan of salvation. Last week as you know we looked at the bad news which left us on tenterhooks with just how bad the situation is. I’m a bit concerned by portrayals of Christianity that neglect the bad news. I’m not convinced by the ultra optimistic view of humanity that says that we’re alright really. The mission of Christ to humanity doesn’t make sense in that way of thinking.

I don’t need to make too much of the bad news – the reality of the world outside paints the picture so easily for me. The real delight is in the midst of that to present the good news. This is what we’ll be looking at tomorrow should God spare our lives and I’m getting really excited about it. I’ve had it in mind ever since the series began because it links with the theme of my heart for the last three years which has been about what is the gospel. I hope to post some of the notes and slides from the presentation at some point tomorrow evening, all being well.

What I wanted to do is share some of the very brief points that I’ve made that have formed the basis for the session – a basic outline of the plan of salvation. These notes are in line with my cultural connection which on this occasion is the 80’s cult classic – The A-Team where Hannibal Smith’s catchphrase was so appropriate – “I love it when a plan comes together.”

How the plan comes together

Father creates perfectly – culminating in Man created to reflect Him

Man disobeys and falls into sin, corruption and death – meriting the wrath of God

Father sends Son to live blamelessly – reflecting initial perfect image bearer

Son offers His life as the ransom/payment for sin – taking on God’s wrath

Father raises Jesus from dead by His Spirit

That Spirit is given to men to raise them from death to life by faith and repentance

That which was initially created perfect and corrupted, is seen as perfect again as it is processed to fulfil this picture of perfection

This is such an amazing and glorious picture of the real love of God that this is why He rejoices for every lost one who comes home and why we too should love for the joy of others returning and being shaped into the image of the loving, forgiving, redeeming, restoring, sanctifying and glorifying God. It’s good news to me and I trust it will be good news to you.

For His Name's Sake
Shalom
dmcd

Christ Is The Gospel

OK so far in the year it’s not going quite as planned on the blogging front. I’m evidently spending time elsewhere doing other worthwhile stuff and the regularity I wanted to get in terms of entries hasn’t quite hit what I wanted it to. I’m not beating myself over it. I realise there’s a very pragmatic resolution to the issue which is to choose one of two paths. Path one is just to be more disciplined and clinical, brutal and ruthless in separating the time required to do more regular blog entries. The second option sees me relaxing under the current regime, appreciating the fact that the opportunity and time to be as regular in my blog entries just may not be possible at the moment and I should just blog when I can. At the moment it’s actually the former option that’s most appealing as the latter is only too much in my nature. I have a tendency of not being more diligent and pushing things through, so because I want to write more I’ve got to push myself. In all that though, I have no intention to live off guilt or poor quality just to fulfil this requirement.

Right. One writing commitment that I’ve been fairly consistent with over the last month or so is the Daily Thought initiative. If that were my blogging requirement I’d be fine as more often than not, although not at a time I’d prefer, most weekdays I am producing that 100 word limited piece for staff and friends. Without blowing my own trumpet, I am pleased at the regularity and challenges that I’ve been able to produce the Daily Thoughts – 21 entries in March and 22 in April is a fair return on the commitment and I trust by the grace of God I can keep that going. In terms of web access for that, the NSYMCA web-site is undergoing some adjustments at the moment which is why the latest entries have not been posted as yet, although that could possibly change by the end of the week depending on commitments.

In any case during the month of April I was going through a series on the good news and highlighting some of the different facets of the gospel that we see in scripture. I enjoy the structure of an overall theme for the month that guides the Daily Thoughts. I was thinking about reverting back to the random nature of them, but for the upcoming month at least I don’t think that will be the case. Anyway, back to good news. As the month of April came to an end I wanted to end the series looking at the Spirit, Father and Son in the light of what the good news is all about. In coming to the final entry of the month I was really drawn again to outline my understanding of what the gospel really is. This is in no way meant to be a definitive word on what the gospel is and what life so far as proved as well as the month’s series is that there are so many avenues into understanding what the gospel is that it’s best to be relatively flexible on the issue. Having made those concessions, however, there is also something fundamental about the nature of the gospel – it’s not just about advice or a way to live a moral life, it’s not just about any god or a little thought-provoker to reflect on life. The heart of the gospel to me is the person and work of God through His Son Jesus Christ. That’s why sometimes in this pluralistic age we live in we have to be real with the fact that we’re not compromising on the exclusive nature of the gospel – exclusive in the sense that the message is about Jesus Christ being the only way back to God for humanity to be reconciled as their sins alienate.

Without going any further and spoiling what I’ve put together, here’s what I’ve elaborated on in terms of what the gospel is all about.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Romans 8:16, 17)

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1, 2)

The good news is all the more glorious because it is based on bad news. The bad news was that we are by nature rebels against God. This is expressed in our consistent nature of missing God that is to say our thoughts, actions and words fall short of what our Creator designed us for. We keep missing God and not only so but we then set up for ourselves an alternative to God, namely ourselves and the idols we set up instead – whether that’s work, money, family, sex, hobbies or whatever. For all our best intentions and noble activities we fail to hit the standard of God and so we behave like fatherless children with apparently no restraint as seen in the atrocities of humanity over history and even our pet foibles.

It is in this scenario that God chooses to remedy the situation and reconcile us back to Him in the only way that would express His character of Holy Love. Love in the essence of being and doing that which gives maximum good in any situation, Holy in satisfying the qualities of justice, righteousness and perfection in all that He is and does. To satisfy this and the great chasm our rebellious nature created, God Himself took on all the punishment that we deserved. In so doing He created a way of escaping that punishment and turning rebels into the sons that He had created initially.

That is why it is only in the Son that we find hope of redemption and full life. For it is in the Son that we see how we were created to be, reflecting the image of the Father and Creator who made us in the first place. Now it is not anything that we can do to earn son-ship, there’s no great acts that can merit God’s favour, which is why good works and noble words fail to meet God’s requirement. What now meets His requirement is a Spirit-filled life that turns away from the rebellious lifestyle and towards one set to please our Father. Now, by faith in Jesus and the power of the Spirit that raised Him from death to life, we are children of God with the hope and assurance that one day we shall be reunited with our Brother, our Friend, our Lord and our Saviour and see Him as He is.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

Beauty and the Gospel

This man is Pip Wilson. He’s a hombre highly regard in YMCA circles and has been doing training to people on the edge for ages. He is of the belief that he is beautiful and so are you. He’ll go as far as to say so on a stage. Which is cool.

To enter into theological debate or not to enter theological debate that is the question. At the time I chose not to enter cos I knock about with a group of people who are kinda anti-doctrine, or who have been hurt by the heavy handed doctrine police who legislate the length of skirts to deem them as holy or not. I can appreciate that in the ‘just love them into the kingdom’ perspective there’s not too much time for thinking through why we do what we do cos we’re too busy doing. Fair enough. By that I mean it’s all cool with that approach if that floats your boat. Though I reckon there’s a small leak in said boat that eventually will sink it. That’s just a personal opinion though.

Here LIVE ON THIS BLOG I can do the theological debate! I am aware from a political philosophy perspective that classically there have been two roots for political ideology. One is that man is basically scum of the earth and what are required are laws and regulations to keep him from running wild. A bit of a generalisation but I never promised a sophisticated debate – do the course for that … oh but really read the books when you’re doing it not like others who rely on generalisations. The second classical position which underpins the liberal movement is that people are actually basically good people who require minimal regulation to protect their freedoms and rights to express their goodness. Yeah, shoot me down on the generalisations if you want, but when it comes down to it that’s what they’re all about.

Obviously there are problems with both positions. With the pessimistic approach if we’re so bad and need regulation how can we trust those who are regulating us if they themselves are subject to the same depravity? On the optimistic approach how do we reconcile this beauty image with the varying levels of inhumanity committed by humanity from debilitating behaviours like gossip, hypocrisy and malice to alleged larger atrocities like rape, exploitation and murder?

Guess what? I know this is going to surprise you but I actually believe the Bible has something to say about this! (Yeah, shocker n it?) From what I read the biblical account of humanity is one that is created to reflect God and so is capable of glorious pieces of beauty. The nub of the issue is however that disobedience to the requirements of God means that man is fatally flawed. There’s a bit that says that all has sinned and fallen short of the glory then there are various parts of the bible that points out that man is actually deserving of the anger of God because of this failure to meet His requirements.

So however many ‘good deeds’ we do it still doesn’t match up to the purity, holiness and perfection of the Creator. So by our standards some of us might be doing real well – what great works and teachings Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Buddha, Nelson Mandela, Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King et. al. did – yet in the sight of the Creator it’s a whole heap more than deeds and on His perfect scales we’re all found wanting. Not only that but there is nothing we can do to resolve the situation – pop psychology, consumer driven techniques, meditation, yoga, etc. etc. Indeed the whole deal is that we go through life endeavouring to medicate for the problem and fall back on the chestnut phrases ‘well, nobody’s perfect’.

Yet there is someone who has done something about. Seeing as though the Creator has a vested interest in the pinnacle of creation He Himself made a way for reconciliation for the breach to be fixed and for that which we were created for to be actualised to the maximum. The tricky bit though is that we’re not preset to think that way and live in a society that promotes everything other than that setting. I mean after all where’s the attraction in giving up self-focus for God-focus? Giving up everything to find ourselves in the one who created us for His glory – that just doesn’t fit anyone’s agenda when left to themselves.

Ho hum, He’s done His bit and given us a way to experience lifelong and indeed eternal beauty for what it really is rather than pale shadows. Sometimes in my view the blanket statement of being beautiful doesn’t really strike to the source of that beauty. Nor does it reflect how marred the beauty is not due to a readjustment in our thinking through positive exercises and knocking about with positive people but the acknowledgement and total surrender to the true Source of Beauty, Holiness and Truth.

To me that’s why Jesus is so central to living and all this positive jazz is not out in the ether that we recognise in ourselves as something pleasant to us, but embodied in perfection in the character of Christ. Now you don’t have to buy it. You don’t have to believe it. No one’s forcing you and indeed you’re in good company because even the blokes who were following Him for the best of His ministry were a bit baffled by it and only began to get it when He left. Yet in checking what’s been said about Him and what He says about Himself there’s not the option of thinking that this guy is just a regular good dude with nice teaching or good works like the hombres mentioned above. There’s more to it that that and in my humble faith this is something worth selling everything to invest everything into it because He alone is worth it.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd

It's All About The Gospel

Read a fascinating article on Is The Gospel Enough? Now as I’ve mentioned in time past, I am not a classic Reformation theologian although admittedly my influences as a growing bible teacher has tended to come from this end of the Christian spectrum. I’m on a journey individually and endeavouring to take us as a fellowship corporately and a family collectively into really understanding what the gospel is and how we communicate that in day to day life.

Of course it’s more than just words we say – it is about behaviour and lifestyle, yet definitively it is a message that we convey from heart to heart to allow people to at least understand something beyond us that can change us. It is testimonial and yet refers to something far beyond our personal experience. What I like about this article is the way the writer expresses the difference between academia and community engagement and the basics of what it’s all about and the lifelong process of working it all out, leading others in the same process whether they’re hardened spiritual veterans or have no idea about Jesus Christ at all.

It’s particularly apt for me cos I know my journey as a believer has been really rocky in aligning the belief and behaviour together, let alone conveying that to others. I commend those whose journey of faith made it rather easy for them to believe in Jesus, live it out in their daily life and communicate that to others without a hitch. For me, that was not the case and it’s taken years and years to get to the stage of being excited of sharing life in Christ with others and endeavouring to be painfully transparent in living it.

That’s not to say I’m there yet, but I can see where I am now is further than where I was years ago. I particularly remember the university years and I wonder sometimes what message I left with my good friends Lloyd and Charles about what Christianity is. What is done, is done and I just want to be a believer who’s real – not up in the clouds, or hidden in the crowd.

What does concern me in this day and age, however, is the diversity of messages being sent as to what the gospel is. Only because these messages are mixed with the various lifestyles that reflect that message. Not to say that there’s something wrong with diversity but it becomes a concern when the core message – and there is a core message – gets heavily compromised or goes missing. Hence the need to be sure of the message and share it without compromise. Here’s an interesting site to check with that in mind. Please note these links that I give from article to article don’t necessarily reflect EVERYTHING that I believe, but makes for thought-provoking opportunities which for me is good enough.

For His Name’s Sake
Shalom
da man cd