Flourishing Spirituality, Christian Community And A Triangle Of Love

Ideally, the local church is the haven for a flourishing spirituality. Below is an outline of my vision for the Christian community (in the wide sense of the word) to which I belong.

1.    A 24/7 network of deep/heart friendships – a triangle of love – God, me, my brother/sister. Our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters in this one big God-family is so connected that we cannot say that there is one without the other and possibly the better the ‘vertical flow’, the better the ‘horizontal’ one is also. Love for God is expressed not only in worship, prayer and praise (important as they are) but in love for the Family; indeed this continual flow of love spills out to those outside. Everyone within this flourishing society is caught up in this triangle of love.

2.    As this society takes shape, spontaneity grows; people within the group are not too over careful of behaving well in the sight of others and never causing offence; they are relaxed and comfortable together.

3.    Stemming from this – members are willing to take risks; it is a safe environment and the network of deep friendships provides a safety net within which to fall. There is a daring ‘to do’ and ‘to do different’ and ‘to do God’s new thing’. Creativity and adventure become hallmarks of this flourishing spirituality. Individuals blossom and this adds colour and spiritual richness to the whole. There is nothing drab or tired about this expression of spirituality.

4.    Within this society of flourishing spirituality, no one leader dominates; the people themselves ‘own’ the group; leaders are keen to make themselves semi-dispensable and in times of absence the group can function without them.

5.    The task of the leaders is to steer, to free others for ministry and never to ‘force’ growth or control. As skilful growers, they do their best to ensure that conditions are right for ‘the plants’ to flourish; they are unthreatened when others thrive.

6.    Leaders are quick to listen to helpful comments or grievances and issues are not left to fester; people are genuinely listened to.

7.    Immature leaders and adventurers are allowed to come to the fore and mistakes are covered with love. The whole group carry a willingness to allow the inexperienced to lead, to initiate and to make mistakes.

8.    Leadership or frontline gifts are not the only gifts valued; equally valuable to the group are the more modest and hidden gifts and those who express these are honoured.

9.    A rich variety of gifts and ministries are expressed; creativity has been allowed to blossom. Gifts don’t have to be perfect before they are appreciated.

10.    Inspiration from anyone can be gained and followed, regardless of leadership status, age or gender.

11.    Good humour, light heartedness, the ability to smile and laugh at each other without malice are integral marks of the group; joy flows in this triangle of love.

12.    Children, old people and people with learning difficulties are valued and included.

13.    At times there will be a diversity of opinion; covenant bonds are respected; people are listened to and unless the divergence of opinion is major and affects the well-being of the group, brotherly love and respect without acrimony continues.

14.    Worship is relaxed, enjoyed and varied; personal preferences of worship style are laid aside; most importantly the group carries Presence for here, ‘where brothers dwell in unity, God has commanded the blessing ..... (Psalm 133)

15.    Deep friendships are always open to others and never cliquey. New people are welcomed and struck by the warmth, outgoing love, unity and friendliness of the group.

16.    A flourishing spirituality is outward looking; the group can always see beyond itself, is open to new ideas from outside and yet sure of its own mission and is never blinkered. It can sustain varied and outgoing projects. It is able to change direction if necessary.

17.    Where there is a flourishing spirituality, members are proud and unashamed to be part of group. They carry a corporate confidence and the group grows.

And I am sure there is plenty more so do please add comments below!

A Must-Read! Andrew Atherstone's Biography of Justin Welby.

No one can deny that the odds stacked against the Church of England are huge: declining congregations; slim representations of youth; internal divisions made very public – all earning them a none-to-be-envied public image. Surrounded by this grim backdrop, how refreshing to read Andrew Atherstone’s biography of Archbishop Justin Welby. There is light on the stage; a striking player has emerged.

What is so remarkable is Welby’s positivity in the face of almost seemingly unsurmountable odds; his buoyant vision for the church in the face of its poor public image; his hope for the re-evangelisation of the nation when it seems in many places that congregations are shrinking and losing heart; his courage in taking risks when one would think timidity would be a more fitting response to the church’s predicament; above all his simple and unwavering certainty that the Gospel of Jesus Christ, ushered in by His death and resurrection, is God’s answer to our need - when certain strands within Anglicism leave us wondering, ‘just what do they believe?’

I love Welby’s stress on ‘human flourishing;’ our mission is a holistic one and yet he would urge us never forget the most important part: announcing the Good News of God’s reconciling love. His focus is: “Churches must be Christ-centred, consciously and explicitly, full of passionate love for Jesus or they are nothing.”
 

Is it really possible for the Church of England to find unity? Will it listen to Welby’s call to find unity despite wide differences of outlook, to down weapons in the war of words and listen well to ‘opposing’ sides as brothers, not enemies and, most of all, to put on love above principles and tightly-held opinions? One can only hope.

Welby is a wide-lensed evangelical, believing in a mix of old and new forms of worship, leaning for personal inspiration on Benedictine and Ignatian spirituality, living with an open mind and a listening ear and yet, at the same time, holding to the supremacy of the Bible. 

I am deeply impressed by the man; his vision, his gift of friendship and the holding out a brotherly hand to those who would disagree with him and his clarion call for the church to express, “diversity without enmity.” 

I believe his message, embodied in his own character as much as his words, has application to other parts of the Church beyond Anglicanism.  Maybe a new era is being ushered in when the ‘peace-makers’ within the church will come to the fore, when we will listen to one another’s hearts, learn to live with differences and work together; we are after all just fellow servants.

Biryani and the Bard: A Kurdish Picnic Besides The Avon

It was their idea: a trip to Stratford. And so it was ... the other Thursday we took ten learners from Coventry Jesus Centre to Stratford – from Iran, Iraqi Kurdistan, Latvia and France. The Kurdish ladies were attired in their best clothes; indeed, I felt positively under-dressed. The best costumes in the theatre exhibition we were later to see were barely an equal match to theirs!

None of them had ever been to Stratford before. Everything was exciting! Everything was interesting. How good to see the obvious pleasure in their eyes at observing, for so many of us, quite ordinary things! It’s strange how you look at the old familiar sights with fresh eyes when you are with people who are seeing those things for the first time. The old heron sitting in the tree, the gracious swans and narrow, summer barges, the ancient, timber-framed buildings; even the word ‘royal’ takes on an exciting new meaning as RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) has to be explained.

Threatened with a thunderstorm which never happened, we jumped off our transport and wended our way through the crowded streets up to Shakespeare’s birthplace, taking countless photos, and then onto New Place and back onto the riverside park.

Lunch was the best; it’s got to be the finest picnic I ever had; I’d bought some honey sandwiches but I certainly didn’t need them! Our Kurdish mama had bought a picnic for fifteen and more!  This was Siti from a previous blog The silver tray was bought out and we all were given abundant portions of biryani and a highly colourful dolma dish. It was a feast and the likes of such a splendid picnic can rarely have been seen before on that park besides the Avon. Passersby's heads turned - intrigued at the unusual sight.

After that, we walked along besides the river to the parish church to see the bard’s burial place, then back across the ferry - pretty exhausted actually.

For all our faults, the UK has a brilliant heritage; when you get to know these Iranians and Iraqi Kurds and what they have suffered, you realise just how fortunate we are on this little isle of ours. We have known civil wars about the very things they have – who is going to rule – but we’ve come out on the other side.

 But for all our rich heritage, we have so much to learn from our friends ... their appreciation, their pleasure at the simple things of life and above all their hospitality and open-hearted friendship. Teachers only have students for a short while.  For us, to know them for this brief spell in time is a privilege.

The sound of His footsteps

Then the man and his wife (Adam and Eve) heard the sound of the LORD God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day ……….…(Genesis 3:8).


God walked in the Garden of Eden. He was accessible; He could be heard, probably seen. In the cool of the day He took a stroll, no doubt taking great pleasure in all that He had made. Adam and Eve were used to these walks; they were familiar with the sound of His footsteps.


The Bible tells us how various individuals over the years have walked with God.  Enoch in the early dawn of Biblical times walked with God so closely that one day they were walking together and he just left the earth behind and walked into heaven with God (metaphorically speaking). Walking with anyone implies companionship, togetherness, friendship, keeping in step, walking abreast. God’s presence is here, in the church; He walks and talks and shares His heart with us.


Hang on. God can’t keep up with me.. too fast, too busy, head speeding. But He is here ..walking … walking …. relaxed and enjoying … but I’m not sure He can always have, or even enjoy, my company.


Another thing: when we walk with a friend there is never a monologue. One talks and then the other.  There is listening; there is talking; there is understanding and feeling, a sighing together; friendship grows. Next time we meet something solid between us has already been built.


Our toil can become so fruitless. Only by walking, talking and listening do we enjoy God’s company. When He walks with us and we hang upon His arm, we have His anointing, things happen, lives are changed. Yes Lord, I think I better walk a little slower, then we can walk together. I could practise a trifle more listening too ... I’m not always too good at that …


Hey, I want to hear the sound of those footsteps ….

High aspirations? Being a friend will do

Mother Teresa said: “I was homeless – not for a shelter made of bricks, but for a heart that understand, that covers, that loves ..” There are thousands of people wanting shelter and a home in these days in the UK .. but even more crave a friend .. and most of us can reach into being one of them.