Follow me…

Reading: Mark 1:14-20 Click on the reading to read it.

I am grateful to Rob Bell from the US (in particular, his ‘Nooma’ DVD ~ ‘Dust’) who gave me a new insight to what it means to be a disciple and what is going on in this passage.

To be a disciple…

In the days of Jesus, the Torah ~ the first five books of the bible ~ was central to the life of the people.  It was believed to have been given to Moses and passed down to God’s people. The Torah was central to the education system as well. At about the age of 6 Jewish boys & girls  began their education. It would be at the local synagogue and it would be the rabbi who was the teacher.  This was called the Beit Sefer  and it would last until the child was about 10yrs.  In Beit Sefer, the children would memorise the Torah & by the age of 10 they should have memorised it by heart.  Imagine that ~ Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers & Deuteronomy!

Now by this time, most of the children would dropped out of school.  They would have returned home to work with their father’s in their family businesses.  But the best of the students would stay on to the next level ~Beit Talmud ~ Here the best students would memorise the rest of the Old Testament ~ the remaining 34 books ~ Joshua to Malachi!  This would continue until the child was 14 or 15 and again most of these remaining children would have dropped out and gone back to their homes & families.  But the best of the best would continue to the next lever ~ Beit Midrash ~ and here they would apply to a rabbi to become one of his disciples.  Now when we talk of disciples we usually mean ‘student’ ~ someone who knows what the teacher knows.  But discipleship in the New Testament goes much deeper.  A disciple wants to be like the rabbi. He wants to learn to know what the rabbi knows, in order to do what the rabbi does, in order to be like the rabbi.  The rabbi will only choose a disciple whom he believed could be like him.  Now each rabbi will interpret Scripture in a certain way as to how to live them out.  One rabbi will say that you should interpret it this way while another will say that you should interpret in another way.  A rabbi’s interpretation of Scripture was called his ‘Yoke’.  And a disciple would take on their rabbi’s yoke ~ his interpretation of Scripture.  The rabbi will grill the prospective disciple about their knowledge of Scripture to see if this person really could do what he does, to be like him. So he is looking for the ‘best of the best of the best’.  When he finds one he says to them, ‘follow me’.  The disciple will leave everything behind and will devote his life to learning to be like his rabbi… his whole life

‘Follow me’

When Jesus chooses his disciples what are they doing?  They are fishing.  In the case of James & John, they are fishing with their father ~ Zebedee.  These four young men ~ they would only have been teenagers ~ at some point, had dropped out of their education.  They were not the best of the best of the best.  Remember, only the best of the best of the best would go to the rabbi and ask to be their disciple and only after intense grilling would the rabbi say, ‘follow me’.  What do we see Jesus doing here by the lakeside?  He comes to them and says, “follow me”!  Can you see what is happening here?

Jesus chooses them.  Not on the basis that they are the best, of the best, of the best, but on the basis that he looks at them and says, ‘I believe in you; I believe that you can do the things I am doing.  Follow me.’  He believes in them.  He sees something in them that others cannot see.  These fishermen are the ‘also rans’, the ones left behind in the pack, the ‘nobodies’; the ones who had given up, or who had been given up on, and yet Jesus chooses them.

Jesus is giving us a very important message here.  His movement, his Church, is for everyone ~ all abilities, all statuses, all levels of knowledge ~ the only qualification needed is the willingness to ‘follow’.  And we are told that these four men dropped everything, left everything behind, and followed Jesus.  These who were not good enough, would go on to change the world, not because they were academically clever, but because they were willing to be Jesus’ disciples.

Our world is still a world where academic knowledge & skill is highly valued.  The vast majority of us are very much in the same place of these first disciples.  We may feel that we are not good enough, not clever enough; we may feel we are not ‘young’ enough, to make a difference in this world. But God has a different view:

 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things ~ and the things that are not ~ to nullify the things that are,  so that no one may boast before him. 1.Cor. 1:26-29

Covered in the dust of your rabbi…

Jesus chooses us! not by our human standards but on the basis that we can be like Him, in the world.  Jesus believes in us!  He believes that we can love this world and all that is in it, in the same way He does.  There is a Jewish saying: ‘may you be covered in the dust of your rabbi.’  A disciple’s life was devoted to following in her rabbi’s steps ~ wherever he walked, she walked ~ in order to learn from him and be like him.  In doing so, she would have the same dust & dirt on her feet, as he did.

Jesus calls us to follow in his steps, to be like him in the world.  When we read of his love, compassion, courage & self-sacrifice, we too should follow in those steps.  That is ultimately what Jesus wanted:

 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

This of course requires faith; faith and trust in Jesus is important, but we have to remember that Jesus has faith in us as well!  He chooses us.  He has faith that we can follow him and can be like him; he has faith that we can be Christ-like.  Do we believe that?

Changing the world…

All this has challenged me in how I view myself as a Christian.  It challenges me because I, far too often, view my faith & belief in terms of what I know, instead of, who I follow.  It is comfortable to sit surrounded by my books & bibles, filling myself with knowledge & clever arguments and ‘put-down’ phrases that will silence those who would want to question the Christian faith.   But that isn’t what Jesus wants.  What he wants is a disciple ~ one who is willing to follow him, to walk in his footsteps, to be Jesus in this society.  Like Jesus himself, we may find ourselves being led into difficult, maybe dangerous places, but he has faith in us!  He believes in us and he wants us to change the world.

So I pray that you along with me, may, because of following Jesus, be people of love, compassion, truth, forgiveness, peace & grace.  May we be covered in the dust of our rabbi

Talking ’bout a Revolution…

Some of you may be too young to remember (it was 1982) the song by Tracy Chapman: ‘Talking about a Revolution.’  It was from her first (and most successful) Album ~ Tracy Chapman. It is a brilliant album.  The songs reflect something of the lives of those on the wrong side of society ~ the poor, the minority, the abused ~ well worth a listen.

‘Talking about a Revolution’ has these lines:

Don’t you know they’re talking about a revolution it sounds like a whisper

While they’re standing in the welfare lines
Crying at the doorsteps of those armies of salvation
Wasting time in unemployment lines
Sitting around waiting for a promotion

Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution
Finally the tables are starting to turn
Talking about a revolution

Revolution sounds like a whisper… The song speaks of the things going on that are unseen ~ the changes in hearts & minds; the challenges to attitudes, beliefs, ideologies; the feeling of a need for something new, something right, to happen & a movement to bring it about ~ talking about a revolution!

We had our first youth event on Sunday night ~ Revolution! at the Queen’s Methodist Mission Hall in Wigan.  I hope it is the start of something new for the young people of the town ~ a place to come to meet with God in a new way, a challenging way, a place where hearts & minds are changed; where the Holy Spirit can speak into attitudes & beliefs; where those who come will feel the need to seek out something deeper & stronger in their relationships with each other and with God.  In other words I am hoping for a Revolution! But, like the song, this revolution will be more like a whisper.  The logo for Revolution highlights the word Love and this is how God works.  The Holy Spirit reveals the love of God, through His Son Jesus, who wants to fill our hearts, our minds, with the knowledge of His presence.  So much of this will go on unseen and at times it may feel that nothing is really happening.  But keep on going, keep on praying, keep on meeting.  Invite your friends, your churches, to come and join you as you meet, and I know that this Revolution will become a reality…

He’s on his way…

He’s on His way! This is the Christmas campaign from the Diocese of Liverpool.  If you go to the site you will find this quote:

Research has revealed that 85 per cent of people agree with the statement that “Christmas should be called Christmas because we are still a Christian country”. However, it also shows that only 12 per cent of adults know the facts of the Christmas story in any detail.

This is the problem in our society.  So many people simply do not know the Christmas Story.  Just published a couple of days ago, a survey commissioned by the Children’s Society, stated that only 10% of those responding to the survey, considered Jesus as being the most important aspect of Christmas! For those aged between 25 & 34 the figure was only 4%! Sadly no figures were available for under 25′s.  What does Christmas mean to young people?

These videos along with posters are an attempt to grab the attention of ordinary people ~ young and old ~ many of whom will come to our churches this Christmas time because they feel it is important and want to connect somehow, with a deeper meaning to the season.  The challenge for all of us as Christians is to re-tell the Christmas story; re-connect with the true meaning of Christmas.  Maybe these resources will help.  They will only do so if we use them!  Visit the site www.merseychristmas.co.uk.  Tell the story to your friends, neighbours & family!

Revolution…

There is a new Church for Young People starting on the 12th of December. It’s name is ‘Revolution’

This is an exciting new church for Wigan Youth. It is looking to meet on a monthly basis at the Queen’s Hall Methodist Mission.  Even though the movement is coming from the Methodists, the Church is seeking to cross all the denominational boundaries and is hoping that the core group will be made up of members from all churches.  I feel a problem we have in Wigan is that so many of our Christian Youth lack a sense of identity ~ a place & group that is theirs where they can explore & express their own faith; where they can learn & share what being a young person and a Christian in our society means and all provide a ‘credible’ place to invite friends.

Revolution aims to provide:

• Relevant worship
• Christ-centred preaching
• An openness to the Spirit
• An experience of God

Revolution aims to reach young people ~ 11 to 18′s ~as well as those ‘Young at Heart’ who are looking for God to work in a fresh way in their lives.

It is so important that Revolution is supported by prayer as well as by attending.  These are very early days and so much can be gained or lost by the support we as the Christian community in Wigan give.  Come along on Sunday the 12th of December, 7pm.

Please come along and join the worship!

ten questions pt.2…

I know I said on Wednesday that I would give the second part of the Jeff Lucas session on: 10 questions that churches should ask themselves if they want to have a successful youth ministry, but I was off yesterday. So here is the second part today.

6. How can we reach young people in our communities, where they are?

Isn’t it true, that in church youth work, there is a pressure to become a ‘baby-sitter’ for church youth? There is a fear that our youth – the few that we have – will become contaminated by the youth out there. We want to protect our own youth. Do we really want to reach young people out there and are we willing to bear the cost both in terms of money & upheaval in doing this?

 7. What is holiness?

Our doctrine of holiness shapes the church and therefore what our youth groups should be like. Jesus’ main battle with the Pharisees was fought on what is holiness: Touching lepers, eating with sinners and so on. Often the underlying problem for youth workers working with ‘suspect’ youth is one of holiness. Should we really be mixing with these types? Does our practice of holiness mean there are certain types of people who are not welcome in our church?

 8. Is Sunday morning different from, yet connected to, Monday morning?

As well as meeting with each other where we are, our worship needs also to connect with the transcendent – to reconnect us with God. But does it connect with Monday?  Do we do a 20 part series on the book of Leviticus but hardly ever preach on what is happening in the work place, or in our schools or in our streets?  People spend the vast majority of their lives in these places yet they are rarely touched on in our churches. Is church relevant to everyday life? Are we helping each other to develop a faith that makes sense of life here and now, that gives us the tools to live in this world, here & now?

 9. What are we doing about the ‘Prodigals’?

In a survey of people who have left church, when asked what upset them most the most frequent answer was the fact that nobody had ever asked them why they left! How do we react when people leave? Do we care? Do we ask them why? A prodigal is someone who runs away and looks to come back. What if they leave because they want to find God? Do we just forget them and move on. Are people allowed to share their thoughts & feelings without being shouted down or frowned at? If people leave how do we make it possible for them to come back?

 10. Are we genuinely equipping young people for the work place or university?

So often Christian youth are fine in church but when they go to university they get attacked from all sides form all sorts of groups etc. Are we helping our young people to live in the world? If we feel that we haven’t got the resources then what are we doing to find people who have?

What ever situation you are is – youth ministry – full or part time - church leadership, concerned member of the church, whatever, it would be a valuable exercise to ask your church council or leadership group or team these questions.  Our ministry to young people is the responsibility of the whole Church, not just a a section.  If you are a person keen on building a bridge to young people either withn the church or outside, so much will depend on the relationships with the wider church.  It will stand or fall on how the congregation welcome, support & participate in it.  Let us know how you get on if you ask the questions…

ten questions…

A couple of years ago I was at the YouthWork conference in Southport.  One of the sessions I went to was a talk by Jeff Lucas.  He was talking about 10 questions churches need to ask themselves if they are wanting to seriously, embrace a ministry to young people.  Here are the questions:

1.  How can we form a connection between youth work &  the rest of church life?

Many churches experience a ‘disconnection’ between the youth work & the rest of the church.  There are times when there are walls of arrogance built around youth work where the impression is that the youth work is fantastic & cutting edge but the rest of church is ‘boring’. In doing that the youth workers are separating themselves from the church & shooting themselves in the foot because they are in effect saying that what we do is great but when you graduate from us, there is nothing else = people live off  the experience of their youth group but do not develop a spirituality that gives them roots.  How can the connection keep going?  How can we be sure that the church feels some sort of ownership of its youth ministry? Is there are mutual respect between the different parts of the church?  Of course this can work both ways.

2.  Are we ready for a ‘messier’ church?

Depends what our understanding of what church is.  If there is a belief that, basically, to be a member of our church means to behave in a particular way or dress in a particular way, etc. then there will be an expectation that any new people should conform to that way.  Young people are not conformists.  They are just starting to explore and understand their own identity & individuality.  Jeff described Church as a ‘field hospital’ like MASH, bringing healing to a messed up world filled with ‘messy’ people.  Holding the tension between this & the call to live lives of integrity etc.  The danger is that we will ‘welcome’ people into our churches but then the pressure will be for them to change into what we believe a Christian member of our church should be.  Young people especially, will not do that.  we will find that in the main, young people and 20’s & 30’s have little or know idea what church is about yet they are still searching for God.  Do we hinder that search by demanding that they conform?

3.  How can we create a culture of welcome?

We need to be sure that we have a welcoming culture and not just a welcoming committee?  Is our church welcoming or is it “You can’t sit there! That’s my pew!”   Do we really welcome strangers in?

4.  What can we do to see the generations standing together?

We live in a world where the generations never seem to meet.  Church is a place where this can & should happen.  How can we create an environment where young and old are comfortable in each others company but are also able to worship & engage in God’s word together?  how would older generations react to the young leading worship and even teaching God’s word?

5.  What can we do to resource & equip young people into leadership now?

Young people have skills & talents too! How can they be used & encouraged in church?  Yes it is a risk, yes it could be dangerous, but isn’t God a God of risk?  And yes it does mean patience, tolerance, humility…

That’s enough for today.  Will give you the other 5 questions tomorrow…  P.S. New material in the Library: Check out the Group Material section for bible resources.

New Material in the Library

Hi Everyone.

Just a post to say that some new items have been added to the Library.

They can be found on the ‘Christian faith & discipleship‘ page.  We have added the following:

• Youth Emmaus.
• Christianity Explored.
• Freedom in Christ.
• The Art of Connecting.

Please have a look.  If you want to have a look & see or are interested in using the resources in your church please get in contact with me (just left click on my photo).

 

God bless.