August

It's the same every year. I look at my diary at the start of August, and think 'great - no meetings, I can get loads done.' I think of all the planning and preparation I can do. Then, suddenly, it's September and I think 'what happened? I didn't do half of what I intended.' I think it's the old cliche, that work expands to fill the time available. You think you've got loads of time, so you take longer to do things which normally would be fitted into a busy schedule.  This year...!

Today, we've had a brilliant day of HOPE - part of a nation-wide initiative to get 'church' out there, making its presence known in the neighbourhood. It was a fantastic collaboration between a number of local churches (mainly Anglican), Scripture Union, Youth for Christ, and the local Athletics Club, whose ground is adjacent to one of our churches. The sun smiled on us, 100s came: there was a barbecue, tea and cakes, bouncy castle, sports, prayer tent, 'messy' crafts, and loads of other activities. And all FREE. People simply could not believe there was no charge: imagine the delight of parents with small children. One visitor said to me he felt inclined to give more by way of a donation than any charge which might have been made. It was wonderful PR for the churches, and we hope will really develop our community relations. It's all about blessing our neighbourhood.

It's meant to end with an open-air service tomorrow on the same field. Unfortunately, I think Hurricane Bertha has other ideas. More likely to be in our church building. Hopefully that won't put people off. We hope it will not just be a gathering of church members.

I've been thinking again about evangelism, because in a sense this is what HOPE is all about. Not just PR, but providing opportunity for God-talk. My own prayer has been that just one person will come to faith this weekend - and more if possible. I hope I won't offend or embarrass anyone here, but I've been struck by something I've read this week which suggested that the coming to birth of a new Christian can be the spiritual equivalent of how a child is born! My summary would go thus:

1. It begins with Desire - for the other person, the Lover. Evangelism begins and ends with God, and our Christian hope for 'baby' Christians has nothing to do with proselytism, 'making converts', but love for God, out of which comes the hope that others will love him too.
2. Then there is Passion, which derives from the desire and leads to an expression of love. Sadly, I believe, as Christians, we are strikingly lacking in passion. Church life is often dull, mediocre, routinised. There is little expectation of the Holy Spirit shaking us, in such a way that something actually happens!
3. When a child is conceived, there is going to be Energy! (I won't elaborate here!!) But again, for a spiritual birth it doesn't just happen. Someone has to act, speak out, do something which calls attention to God's presence in the world be it for compassion or justice. Maybe just to read the Scriptures or engage in dialogue. I confess to having been guilty myself of acting as though people come to faith by a kind of osmosis. Action is required!
4. Conception. This is the natural, hoped-for result (in good time) of a loving, committed relationship between man and woman. May we not expect the same when there is a healthy relationship between God and his church? Another weakness of the Church today, it seems to me, is that we lack expectancy of anything ever being different. I realise, of course, that a hoped-for, longed-for child is not always possible, and couples sometimes have to come to terms with their childlessness. Likewise, I believe there are seasons in the church when we appear fruitless. But at this point, the circle is completed: we return to our Desire for the Other, which in the end is at the heart of our faith.

I hope this makes some kind of sense, without being too explicit. It certainly helps me, and fires me with a new hope of seeing more people new-born into a faith-relationship with Jesus Christ.