This weekend we had our CU houseparty (my last one! :() at Quinta. During Saturday afternoon there was a Grill a Christian, to give opportunity for the Christians there to ask the sorts of question that we would love to know the answer to, but are too afraid to ask. There was a question box that people could put in their questions beforehand,
which the panel of our speaker (John Hindley from the Plant), his wife Flick, and Andrea Jackson - former University of Manchester student and living legend, would attempt to provide practical, Biblical answers to.
It was a really amazing little event! Probably two thirds of the students at the houseparty were there, which was great, but the most exciting thing was the questions that were asked. This sort of event can easily turn into one where dry, abstract theological concepts are discussed, and people leave feeling a little more puffed up with knowledge. Don't get me wrong, theology is very exciting and understanding the intricacies of our God and the way he works is a very exciting thing.
But, as I have already hinted at, what was so encouraging and exciting about this session was how open and honest people were. There were questions about relationships people are in - with non-Christian 'man-of-my-dreams', recent converts still in a long-standing sexually active relationship with a non-Christian - there was a question from someone addicted to internet pornography etc. It was a very helpful time for lots of people.
The questions were answered wisely and sensitively, and all in all the session was very useful for lots of people.
However, though the session was excellent, it got me thinking about the nature of the church and Christian relationships. It was shocking yet refreshing to hear people talking about such issues. Yet, isn't it such a shame and a sad reflection on the depth of relationships within our churches that these issues which people are grappling with have only been exposed when individuals have had the opportunity to anonymously bring them to light? Shouldn't our churches be places in which people can be open and honest about the things that they are struggling with, where we won't feel as though we will be judged or forever classified as the 'porn addict', 'gambling addict', 'masturbation addict' or 'the person who is having sex with her non-Christian boyfriend'. Our churches should be places where people will lovingly point us to Jesus, get us to look at the cross where we can find forgiveness, and get alongside us as fellow redeemed sinners - not judging, but holding each others hand as we seek to follow closely behind Him.
Showing posts with label CU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CU. Show all posts
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Wednesday, 12 March 2008
An ordinary man
At CU tonight I had two revelations (one slightly more noteworthy than the other!):
1. On the way in, there were some children playing football with a rolled up piece of paper. On passing them, one of the children said 'wait a minute and let the man through'. Man! Very odd... I don't know what I think of myself as but I certainly don't feel old enough to be called a man!
2. Peter Drayspoke at CU on Acts 18:24-28. Here are some of the things he said, and some of my thoughts.
Ordinariness isn't something that is celebrated in our culture. Our culture celebrates individuality and the great - to be ordinary is almost the worst sentence. As we look at a book like Acts, we see people who are bold, articulate and people who seem extraordinary.
However, in this passage we see two ordinary people - Priscilla and Aquila - being used by God. Apollos was a man who is obviously extraordinary in the way that he is gifted. Yet he didn't fully understand the truth of the gospel. Priscilla and Aquila used the gifts given to them (their Christian education etc.) and, through genuinely sharing their lives, lovingly instructing Apollos in the truth, getting other Christians involved and endorsing Apollos' ministry they were used by God in the life of Apollos. Apollos went on to do really great things for the gospel, and it started off with Priscilla and Aquila using what they had from God to serve God and advance the kingdom.
It was a very useful talk for me to hear. After finishing as CU president, it feels like after several years of being very involved in CU and church I have got to a stage in life where I'm not really very involved in any teams or in any form of leadership in a Christian context. I fear that pride had probably got the better of me a little, and I had began to think that I was better than ordinary. But over these last few weeks with a bit more time to think, I have realised that I am very ordinary, at best. But tonight I was reminded that we are all given gifts, and whether we are ordinary or not, we should use the gifts that God has given us to serve others and build others up, and that God can use them to glorify his name. He used Priscilla and Aquila in the life of Apollos. They saw a way that they could serve God, and in a very ordinary way they used the gifts that they had to do just that. Without them, Apollos may have gone on preaching an incomplete gospel. But because of how God worked through them in his life, he went on to achieve great things for the kingdom. God can use our efforts however ordinary we are.
Praise God that, in his grace, he wants to use an ordinary man like me!
1. On the way in, there were some children playing football with a rolled up piece of paper. On passing them, one of the children said 'wait a minute and let the man through'. Man! Very odd... I don't know what I think of myself as but I certainly don't feel old enough to be called a man!
2. Peter Drayspoke at CU on Acts 18:24-28. Here are some of the things he said, and some of my thoughts.
Ordinariness isn't something that is celebrated in our culture. Our culture celebrates individuality and the great - to be ordinary is almost the worst sentence. As we look at a book like Acts, we see people who are bold, articulate and people who seem extraordinary.
However, in this passage we see two ordinary people - Priscilla and Aquila - being used by God. Apollos was a man who is obviously extraordinary in the way that he is gifted. Yet he didn't fully understand the truth of the gospel. Priscilla and Aquila used the gifts given to them (their Christian education etc.) and, through genuinely sharing their lives, lovingly instructing Apollos in the truth, getting other Christians involved and endorsing Apollos' ministry they were used by God in the life of Apollos. Apollos went on to do really great things for the gospel, and it started off with Priscilla and Aquila using what they had from God to serve God and advance the kingdom.
It was a very useful talk for me to hear. After finishing as CU president, it feels like after several years of being very involved in CU and church I have got to a stage in life where I'm not really very involved in any teams or in any form of leadership in a Christian context. I fear that pride had probably got the better of me a little, and I had began to think that I was better than ordinary. But over these last few weeks with a bit more time to think, I have realised that I am very ordinary, at best. But tonight I was reminded that we are all given gifts, and whether we are ordinary or not, we should use the gifts that God has given us to serve others and build others up, and that God can use them to glorify his name. He used Priscilla and Aquila in the life of Apollos. They saw a way that they could serve God, and in a very ordinary way they used the gifts that they had to do just that. Without them, Apollos may have gone on preaching an incomplete gospel. But because of how God worked through them in his life, he went on to achieve great things for the kingdom. God can use our efforts however ordinary we are.
Praise God that, in his grace, he wants to use an ordinary man like me!
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