Moving!

Friends and readers, I'm changing my blog title and name; in part, because the old title (duncan-elwyn) simply doesn't fit anymore. As some of you know, the original intent of this blog was for my friend, Elwyn, and I to have a joint venture to develop, with him moving far away. However, as most of you will have noticed, it's pretty much just my blog now. (Elwyn is simply too busy to post now unfortunately--brilliant as he is!) The new URL will more accurately reflect not just who the author is now, but, hopefully, be less confusing to those readers who happen to stumble upon here every now and then.

The good thing is, this also gives me an excellent opportunity to discover just how many people actually bother to check this blog (all whopping half dozen of you or so) and how frequently! (I wonder how long it will be until anyone even notices that things have changed!)

If you'd like to continue reading my posts, then please leave a comment here with an email address, or conversely, email me at givemeyourblog@yahoo.com and I'll give you my new blog name address. I'll look forward to 'seeing' you over there!

In the interim, I'll be updating the new blog to reflect these changes and mixing things up a bit perhaps.

God bless each one of you who have enriched my online experience or given me encouragement along the way.

Thank you.

-"Duncan"

The goodness of God and the riches of His Church

Today has been filled with house chores -- cleaning loos, buying and setting mousetraps, filing paperwork and old bills, etc. Nothing very exciting.

However, this morning I got up earlier than my normal weekday and went out on a lovely walk with our two dogs. I love that early morning air--it smells so good! Why I don't do this more often, I don't know. Still, I got some excersize and was invigorated.

Anyway, as I walked about I prayed and reflected on how I can trust God even when the world is full of evil -- horrible things happen to innocent people, and yet in spite of it all God is worthy to be praised! He cannot be blamed for what we (humans) choose to do with our free choice. (Would we rather be slaves to His every whim?) It is good to know that everyone has something they can thank God for if they choose to acknowlege Him as the giver of good things, of life itself! We can even just thank God for the simple things: the smell of morning air, the colors of creation, the comforting feel of warmth on our skin when we're cold or the fresh feel of crisp cold when we're too warm, etc, etc!

Later, I saw a piece of styrofoam caught in the smallest thread of all that remained of an old spider's web. There it dangled against the bathtub, gently quivering as if floating in mid-air whilst the central heating circulated the room. Isn't it amazing how the stickiness of the tiniest thread of some old web can still be sticky enough to hold onto something after such a long time after it's initial purpose? God's universe is so intricate and incredible! Even the smallest details have been worked out.

Later still, I sat again against the side of the tub on the floor, cupping my hands over a warm cup of tea, and thought of the myriad of workers labouring for the gospel/for Christ, often the most Christ-like, most humble, being the ones most forgotten and least appreciated or understood. I thought of all the pastors and disciples who labour away in communist and Muslim countries in fear of their lives, but propelled to continue in spite of come what may as their lives have taken on greater purpose than just what they can get out of it for themselves. I thought of and prayed for inner-city parishes and Catholic priests who feed the poor, minister to the gangs and comfort the runaway and usually abused kids on the streets. I thought too of forensic scientists and police detectives I've read about who without their faith in God couldn't go on doing what they do because of all the agony/torture they see in their work but nevertheless press on for the greater good.

As my thoughts drifted from one group to another I was reminded of how marvellous God's church is! How incredibly dark and lonely this world would be (and would have continued) without the millions of touch-points of love given because of Christ and those who truly knew and know Him. So many things we take for granted became solidified and established because of great men and women of faith: humility, the idea of forgiveness and service to those in dire circumstance, adoptions, orphanages, hospitals, the abolition of slavery, food shelters and homes for the poor, Red Cross, education, literacy, books, schools, universities, YMCAs, the equality of women, pregnancy and crisis centres, and the list goes on and on and on. Some have left their Christian genesis, but thank God for Christ's body here on Earth!

I felt led to pray for the workers in the field who continue to labour for Christ, so often for nothing but an invisible, perhaps far off, yet rich reward. I prayed for greater unity and strength of message amongst the saints -- that we could rise up in "holiness," proclaiming the truth in a deceptive world of selfish lies and vain pursuits and pleasures; not being, reflecting, or mouth-piecing the World by adopting its desires, tastes, opinions and shallow embrace of sin in the vein hope it is love, but instead, reaching this World with the only liberation there truly is--that is freedom and forgiveness and change in Christ! Thank God for the multitudes of changed lives the world over -- those who have had their wounds, addictions and hearts healed; and all those who are compelled forward to reach out daily to the needs around them.

-d.

More on Alpha... ad in cinemas

I was reading in the "Alpha News" paper I just got in the mail from England that Alpha UK has made a professional 'trailer' ad for general release in cinemas across the Country (shown during the previews) to get people aware and interested in going to Alpha. It has been hugely successful and in its short run has increased awareness of the 'brand' and what Alpha is about to around 22% of adults (about 10 million people) with more and more people attending. Anyway, the soccer player, rock climber (youngest Brit to clim Everest) and model all are famous Brits for their professions. (The model actually goes to HTB.) Anyway, I think the video is absolutely brilliant!! Just goes to show that often less is more!

See it here: Alpha cinema advert


-d.

The London Church, HTB and Alpha

Next time I go back to London I want to go to this church: St. Paul’s, Hammersmith. It sounds great, and with the right balance on things. I particularly like what the pastor (vicar) says about community.

Actually, I came across this site through a link from my old church, HTB (Holy Trinity Brompton), in inner London. It is in fact my ‘home church’. I say ‘home’ church in that this is where I grew up to young adulthood, and to this day whenever in London I always make it a point to visit there. Whenever I go back and experience their dynamic worship, insightful, intelligent sermons, enthusiasm from having such a young group of believers (not just in age, but in that over 75% of the congregation are new converts within the last 3 years), I get inspired! Of course, I also love the Englishness of it all, that is so familiar, and brings back so many memories of not just significant events like being confirmed there, but home groups, pastorates and talks over good cuppa’s and tea biscuits/digestives.

HTB is probably most widely known through its Alpha course, a multi-week evangelism course for non-believers and those new to the faith, to learn more about Christ, the Bible, etc. It is positioned as a forum in which no question is too taboo to ask—a place to come “Discover the Meaning of Life”. It has had tremendous success in the UK, and actually around the world, with an average of over 70% conversions for those who attend. Once participants learn the compelling reason and facts for Christ, it is hard to dispute. Plus one finds out the genuine love of others and the joy of real Christian fellowship. I think the ultimate success lies in the fact the course and meetings have been seriously prayed over and, importantly, towards the end of the several months course, there is the chance to go to a “Holy Spirit weekend retreat”. Here, many come dynamically face-to-face with the power and Holiness of a very real and personable God. Many are baptized in the Holy Spirit, convicted of their sin and need for redemption, physically healed, delivered of addictions, etc, and from there they see the transformative effects of such a new birth. Marriages are healed, relationships mended, lasting inner peace found, etc. This in turn compells others to find out more themselves, to discover it’s not at all about dead, stuffy no-can-do religion but want-to-do life and relationship with God!

Actually, my wife was, herself, born again there, not at Alpha but at HTB (completely unexpected then as she was still in New Age, in denial of sin’s existence and so forth)! The Holy Spirit was so powerfully present that she was compelled to make that step of faith and then too was forever transformed (instantly in her case). (My father, not a believer, marveled, and still does, at her complete change of person. He has often said he would not have believed it if he hadn’t witnessed it himself. She was also powerfully physically healed too.)

Anyway, there is hope for continued revival in places like Britain, largely because of the Spirit working through avenues like Alpha, anchored with prayer as an effective tool reaching those outside of the church with the Good News of the living Christ!

It is encouraging and probably surprising to some here, that HTB itself is Anglican, but not ‘dead’ or ‘stuffy’ Anglicanism as it used to be when I was a little boy. It changed dramatically as I grew into my teens, in part through the exposure to more of God’s Spirit and Him being invited/allowed! I thank God for godly men like the former vicar, Sandy Miller, and that he invited people like John Wimbur and others. It truly makes a difference who is in charge, so to speak. As my cousin often has said, a church will only be as strong as the pastor or eldership over it. They can either lead the congregation to greater riches in Christ or squelch the Spirit in one form or another.

One other exciting church, in terms of powerful, energetic worship, at least, and street ministry, is Hillsong, London. (Yes, that’s the church originally started in Australia, and matter of a fact, a lot of the pastors and support staff are originally from there.) Wow! When there, it’s like being in ‘God's mosh-pit’, if there ever was such a thing! I love too that those who attend are from every possible ethnicity imaginable. I love the diversity of God’s kingdom, black and white, rich and poor, young and old. But, with that said, Hillsong’s services are not for the faint of heart who can’t take ‘loud’ music! Actually, admittedly, I found it rather too loud for my sensitive ears too, even though I was getting right into it! Ha! Even so, I can see the Lord working there, and love their earnest desire and passion.

I am blessed to have my life long friend attend both churches, and with my cousin and his wife still at HTB, and some others visiting, I’ve been able to stay fairly well connected to HTB. Actaully, I also get HTB’s “Focus” newspaper, filled with incredible stories of God’s touch in people’s lives, old faithful and young converts alike. I have also been fortunate enough in visits over the years since moving Stateside to sometimes attend one of the pastorate groups, or special occasions like the New Year’s Eve bash, etc. It is good to see God moving though such a myriad of people. I just love it there. That, to me, is the way church is to be, or at least can be. Of course, every church has to have its own distinctives to be effective in their local area, but the anointing, passion and effectiveness remains the same when directed by His Spirit, regardless.

Speaking of ‘distinctives’, one of the other things I love about HTB too is that the presenters and pastors speak well and intelligently! I enjoy listening to the often poetic, diverse breadth of words implored, the works of art and literature borrowed from, to illustrate some point. I should add this is not done for some flashy show, but simply because they generally are just better educated, and it shows! Seriously! That is trivial, I know, but for me, personally, I get tired of church presentations and sermons so often ‘needing’ to be presented as necessarily ‘cool’ or ‘catchy’, using such common phraseology of the day. OK, again, that is purely, utterly shallow, I admit! Now, where was I? -- Back to the ‘meatier’ stuff, I suppose…

I’ve heard from those working within HTB, or heavily involved in their ministry, that everything they do is done to the highest standard. They work hard and pray hard! Now, is that to say the church is perfect? Certainly not. It isn’t! But, God does reward their stewardship and the fruit is abundantly evident. They have been able to transplant their members into other dying Anglican churches, and literally, entirely rejuvenate and renovate empty parishes into something alive, transforming and wonderful, reaching the un-churched in other neighbourhoods. St. Paul’s, Hammersmith, is one such church.

Well, as you can tell, I can get carried away when discussing things like this — the move of God in London, and to a greater extent, in Britain, through such avenues. So, if you’re ever in London, check out HTB in particular. I’m sure you will be blessed! There is something for everyone, from those more ‘high-churched’ to those of us more non-denominational, evangelical and/or charismatic.

-d.

Ennui

In liue of one of my earlier posts a few days ago, I liked what our pastor said today in his sermon: "You'll serve your family first when you serve God first." Praise God for that. A real answer to my prayers and reflections this week.

He then went on to discuss diligence. "To be diligent, find out what motivates you." Hmmm... that's a hard one for me. I feel like no'thing' really motivates me, grabs me, inspires me beyond measure. That doesn’t mean I don't enjoy certain things but really I can't help comparing it to my eternity and feeling like whatever it is really doesn't matter that much in the long run. I mean, I watched American football yesterday for the first time this season, and the first time in years all the way through an entire game, and although it was a great game, in the end, even after admittedly whooping and yelling quite a bit, really, it's just a game. It amazed me how just 15 minutes later it was almost like it had never happened. All the 'glory' and victory seemed so empty in the end. It reminded me again that you can't find your ultimate fulfillment in temporal things.

So what does motivate me the most? After reading and hearing testimony of the very real move of God, his work in others lives, probably my wife and children and those I love, but how can one make a full time pursuit out of this, let alone a living, say?

I am creative. I've made a living being creative, but it doesn't really grab me. It all seems so futile and boring and vain in the end. Part of me wants to get back into painting with oils, but even that seemingly tangible, reachable goal seems too difficult. That takes time, and is hard to do in a family home environment. I tried once here cleaning my brushes with mineral spirits but then it took ages to clean the sink and I never did figure out how to safely dispose of the turpentine! You see, I am already defeated before I even begin! Pathetic really. I could draw or use some other medium but none of that really challenges me. I could design on my home computer with my system and software getting antiquated, but really that too doesn't inspire me. It all feels like variations on the same theme, regardless of whatever I do or however good it is. In the end I really don't care enough about any of it. It is too solitary when I am a people person and yet, ironically enough, I am becoming more introverted, in that I find I want more time on my own to recharge than ever before. For example, doing this blog is something I would have never been interested in before as it would have been considered too solitary.

What's the matter with me? Maybe it's that my birthday is coming up and I'm going to be officially middle-aged! I feel like I haven't lived to my full potential and now it feels pointless, too late. And anyways, everything I do seems sort of shallow if it takes away from meeting my (my alone) responsibilities of being a Dad and a husband. (DW mentions here that I become a very boring person to be with if I don't take up other interests outside of her and the kids--that's one of the reasons I am blogging now and started to blog in the first place!! LOL! Yes, my dear wife loves me! :) )

I am involved in some things that can be considered ministry but even those can just feel like duties. It's when God just shows up when one least expects it that I live for. That most seems to come when you are open to whatever, to not safeguarding or regulating your schedule so much that you block out the option for the Holy Spirit to move.

The pastor also asked today if we are as much passionate, as much on-fire as before in our lives? "God is not there saying, 'Oh, he's too hot, better turn him down a bit!'" No, God would rather have us hot or cold! I don't know about answering that question either. In many respects I feel that I am passionate for God to be made manifest in my life and those around me as ever. I live and breathe my faith daily, well maybe more so in prayer and thought than actual action, depending on how you look at it. I can't go more than a couple of hours without somehow thinking about Him or something related to my faith. I pray a lot, no less than at any other time. I read the Word as much as I've ever been able to get into it (which isn’t that deep honestly) and yet, I feel bored and uninspired a lot of the time, to my detriment. I feel burdened by responsibilities and although, in many regards, I have huge faith in the big things of life, it's in the details I can be so faithless.

Well, I'm being honest and doing a soul check here. I don't know what the answers are, but I know that I need to be taken ahold of more with His vision. I am perhaps too negative, cynical, to do that. I see people work themselves up into a spiritual high, or forcing themselves into some modus-operandi, but that too seems pointless as it seems more self-driven than God-driven. OK, I know this is sounding like Ecclesistes isn't it? I think the biggest let down in some regards is that I am starting to more fully realise that actually no one has all, or even a lot of great answers... not that they should though, but even the ones who think they do, don't! No one is really an expert in the matters of life. I've gone to people for advice on things, to seek counsel as the Word says, but in the end it seems like, really, most times I didn't really get anything out of it that I couldn’t have come up with myself. On one hand though, this let down is a great thing, something my wife was shown a long time ago: that in the end everyone is going to let you down. Only God can be one's true solace.

Our greatest ideals and aspirations will always be tainted by our humanity. It's meant to be that way. God alone is the source of all wisdom and He alone fills that void. He filled my yearning/searching for truth when I was a teen and young adult and has blessed me with his incredible goodness and grace through my adult years. I have experienced Him profoundly, am mindful that we are to walk in obedience, pray and pray in the spirit, and so why this ennui?!

Well, being that this has been quite Ecclesiastes oriented, why not end with Soloman's concluding paragraph on the vanity of life:

"...Here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
for this is the whole duty of man.
For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil."
(Ecc. 12, 13-14)

I also like Paul's last lettter to Timothy where he quotes a common expression of the early church:
"If we died with Him,
we will also live with Him;
If we endure,
we will also reign with Him,
If we disown Him,
he will also disown us;
If we are faithless,
He will remain faithful,
for He cannot disown Himself."
(2 Timothy, 2: 11-13)

.letting go

Thanks to Steve Bremner's blog ("Just your Average Revolutionary"), I came across another I have been frequenting for a couple of months now that I think this blog too warrants a link in the right margin. (Added later: I found her link in one of the comments made at some point. Who knows how this blogger got there. I love this curious world of blogs and how one gets from place to place.)

Anyway, .letting go (http://livingonmyknees.blogspot.com) is by another young blogger, 19 years old I think,...and Canadian (I've got to link to some British blogs or at least American ones at some point too)! What I most enjoy about her blog is that she is truly an excellent writer/wordsmith; regardless of what she writes about I just enjoy reading it! The way she writes about things is a pleasure to 'experience', much like oftentimes observing art. This blogger (I think her name is Meagan) can write about something as seemingly ‘ho-hum’ as baking, making soup, or walking over shattered glass on the pavement, or whatever, and make it engaging, even inspiring! For an excellent example of her craftsmanship, check out the post from Jan 6th of this year, entitled, "to be grateful".

Another interesting thing about this blog is the writer's journey to and in Christ, being only about 3 years a Christian, and the fact she lives a different life to most of us, simply by being a Vegan. Yes, Vegan. (I don't think I'd have enough blogs to link to, to bother to make another category on the right for "Vegan Blogs" only! LOL!) Personally, I wouldn't/couldn't do it myself but admire her 'stick-to-it-iveness' (is that a real word?) and stance, not really having that much admiration myself for hunting as a sport, the inhumane treatment of battery hens, young calves for veal, and so forth. Anyway, maybe you will enjoy it too. Be prepared however, there are some, shall we say, more unusual entries here too, on such things as shaving one’s head, etc.!

I don't know, I think Elwyn (if you're out there, reading this…which you should be! Ha!), you and your DW would enjoy the colourful divergence of this blog; different to the bland homogeny our Christian suburban culture so suffers from here, as we've often discussed before as couples. (That's one of the things I miss about London, actually). It's refreshing to step into other ‘sub-cultures’ and experiences also found in Christ. That is one of the highlights blogs can offer. I like interacting with those different to myself.

-d.

What personality type are you?

I've taken the Myers Briggs test quite a few times over the years, including two exhaustive ones and have ranged from being an ENFJ to INFJ, and this time was again ENFJ, as usual, but apparently everthing was more moderate instead of higher percentages in some categories. Usually, career-wise, I get the same top 3: commerical designer/artist, professor, and then pastor/social worker, all areas I have been interested in at some point. Anyway, here's tonight's score.

-d.

Your #1 Match: ENFJ

The Giver You strive to maintain harmony in relationships, and usually succeed. Articulate and enthusiastic, you are good at making personal connections. Sometimes you idealize relationships too much - and end up being let down. You find the most energy and comfort in social situations ... where you shine. You would make a good writer, human resources director, or psychologist.

What's Your Personality Type?