The Baptist Union are organising a baby boomer conference:
'Being Church for the Boomer Generation'
It's at High Leigh Conference Centre, Hoddesdon
Dates 23-25th November.
The first tranche of places are now all booked so they've had to get some more rooms.
www.baptist.org.uk/component/content/article/451.html
Looks like a great event (I'm only a bit biased because I'm one of the speakers!) - book early to avoid disappointment.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
The parable of my dad's shed
I've been challenged in my presentation/preaching recently. So much of preaching seems to consist of explaining what Jesus parables meant - which Jesus rarely did. When Jesus did explain them, it was to the disciples who pushed him hard for an explanation - the crowds went away with lots of possible meanings to wrestle with.
To be consistent with Jesus method, it might be good for 21st century preachers to invent their own parables rather than explain Jesus'.
Hence the parable of my dad's shed.
My dad has never had central heating (he once knew someone who had central heating and they were ill . . . .). However, he's a true yorkshire man so when my sister discovered he could get a grant and have it for next to nothing he decided it might be ok. When the man came to do the survey, the only place he could suggest putting the oil tank was in the place currently occupied by an old shed.
We agreed to spend a weekend demolishing it, the problem was that it was full of things. THings that I and most other people would call rubbish, but that dad placed great importance on:
- the woodwormy remains of our childhood sledge
- old fishing gear that reminded him (and me) of happy afternoons when we were kids (none of us have been fishing for 10 years+)
- old tools belonging to his dad - hedging tools, sickles, scythes all belonging to a bygone age - rusty and woodwormy
- at least five handsaws - all two dull to be used
and much, much more!
None of it was serviceable anymore. Most of it was obsolete. Every item had a memory and a story.
Eventually we persuaded dad to bin most of it - it was then a five minute job to knock down the rotten shed leaving a pristine site for the new oil tank (which still hasn't arrived!!).
THe problem with throwing away the 'junk' was that it seemed disloyal to the memory of loved ones and the activities from the past that made us who we are today.
Three questions:
What old sheds are there in your life?
How do we follow God's injunction to travel light?
How do we dispose of the junk without forgetting the stories - they're important?
To be consistent with Jesus method, it might be good for 21st century preachers to invent their own parables rather than explain Jesus'.
Hence the parable of my dad's shed.
My dad has never had central heating (he once knew someone who had central heating and they were ill . . . .). However, he's a true yorkshire man so when my sister discovered he could get a grant and have it for next to nothing he decided it might be ok. When the man came to do the survey, the only place he could suggest putting the oil tank was in the place currently occupied by an old shed.
We agreed to spend a weekend demolishing it, the problem was that it was full of things. THings that I and most other people would call rubbish, but that dad placed great importance on:
- the woodwormy remains of our childhood sledge
- old fishing gear that reminded him (and me) of happy afternoons when we were kids (none of us have been fishing for 10 years+)
- old tools belonging to his dad - hedging tools, sickles, scythes all belonging to a bygone age - rusty and woodwormy
- at least five handsaws - all two dull to be used
and much, much more!
None of it was serviceable anymore. Most of it was obsolete. Every item had a memory and a story.
Eventually we persuaded dad to bin most of it - it was then a five minute job to knock down the rotten shed leaving a pristine site for the new oil tank (which still hasn't arrived!!).
THe problem with throwing away the 'junk' was that it seemed disloyal to the memory of loved ones and the activities from the past that made us who we are today.
Three questions:
What old sheds are there in your life?
How do we follow God's injunction to travel light?
How do we dispose of the junk without forgetting the stories - they're important?
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