Together with 4000 other 50-somethings I went to the Hammersmith Apollo on Friday night to listen to Paul Rodgers (vocalist with Free & Bad Company). It was a bit like a worship event as we all sang along to 'All Right Now', 'Shooting Star' and the inevitable (2nd) encore 'The Hunter'. I looked around at all those old people waving their hands in the air, playing air guitar and shaking their heads (it looked a lot different when we had shoulder-length hair!) and I couldn't help but think how old they all looked (compared to me of course). Then I realised that I look just as old on the outside too. All of us had been transported back in time to when we were twenty and had long hair, small waists, large flairs and outrageous dreams.
Old(ish), staid and conforming on the outside we may be, but we're still wild on the inside! My question is how do we find the courage to dream again. Is there still time for us to change the world as we believed we could in the 70s? Or have we become anaesthetised by prosperity, family duties and work pressures that we can no longer dream outrageous dreams.
Still wild on the inside? Let it loose!!
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
VentureFX
I've just spent two exciting days at the first selection conference for Venture FX Pioneers. Venture FX is a new program set up by the Methodist Church to encourage new forms of Church that meet the spiritual needs of young adults. It has been fascinating to meet a group of young(er) Christian leaders who are totally committed to making Jesus real in their cultures. It's so exciting to hear people getting really passionate about the vision that God has laid on their hearts. It's also great to see that they have such servant hearts - authenticity and integrity were words I heard a lot.
I also see in them the same frustration about traditional church that I've wrestled with for over thirty years. Not so much anger as sadness that the church which has such riches to share seems to find it so difficult to adapt to changing cultures. At the same time there's a longing that the church will recognise and validate their calling to do mission things in new ways.
I'm delighted that Venture FX is happening and that we're putting considerable resources into supporting these guys for the long-haul as they work out what incarnational mission looks like in their generation. Watch this space!!!!
I've just spent two exciting days at the first selection conference for Venture FX Pioneers. Venture FX is a new program set up by the Methodist Church to encourage new forms of Church that meet the spiritual needs of young adults. It has been fascinating to meet a group of young(er) Christian leaders who are totally committed to making Jesus real in their cultures. It's so exciting to hear people getting really passionate about the vision that God has laid on their hearts. It's also great to see that they have such servant hearts - authenticity and integrity were words I heard a lot.
I also see in them the same frustration about traditional church that I've wrestled with for over thirty years. Not so much anger as sadness that the church which has such riches to share seems to find it so difficult to adapt to changing cultures. At the same time there's a longing that the church will recognise and validate their calling to do mission things in new ways.
I'm delighted that Venture FX is happening and that we're putting considerable resources into supporting these guys for the long-haul as they work out what incarnational mission looks like in their generation. Watch this space!!!!
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