New Wine Ireland

I had the privilege last week of speaking at New Wine in Ireland, held in Sligo on the gorgeous west coast of Ireland. It was such a privilege to be there and speak on the last night.

The main thrust of my talk was calling people to a renewed urgency for mission but I was convinced there was one person in the tent who needed to give their life to Christ. I made an appeal but no one came forward. It threw me a bit, because I was so sure I had heard God correctly. In the middle of the ministry after the next call, a young man called Jonny came up to me and shared he was the young man who needed to get his life right with God again. Jonny (pictured above) is 19 years old and it has been just brilliant meeting him.

I prayed with Jonny at New Wine and he and I have been in email exchange since I got back. He has told me how meeting Jesus at New Wine has really changed his life. He feels more positive, he knows God has a plan for his life, he is energised in worship again, and he has been praying with his parents again. How wonderful! Jonny is an amazing young man and literally I can see in his life the transformation Jesus brings to a human life.

Interestingly one of my convictions is that mission and worship are inextricably linked. I see it in Jonny. He is excited about Jesus and is worshipping God himself, but the lives of his family and friends so excited about Jonny meeting God, also praise God.

Jonny has very graciously allowed me to tell his story on here. Please pray for this special guy, that God will continue to excite him more and more!

Guilt at Garden Parties

Sometimes I have a hard life! This week I was honoured to be invited not just to one, but TWO Royal Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace. I went on Tuesday along with 5 others to represent Church Army, then yesterday I was invited to the garden party given in honour of the Lambeth Conference. So it was my idea of heaven, mingling with 800 bishops! An anglican networkers paradise!!

I have to say the organisation was awesome, the food delicious and the atmosphere amazing!! I have never heard the band of the Royal Marines play the tune of the Austin Powers movie before!! Her Majesty puts on a good party!

I was thoroughly enjoying myself, the food and the lovely ice cream, and feeling rather pleased with myself when I met a bishop from the Sudan. Looking sad and unhappy he went on to tell me he had never seen so much food before, it would help feed his starving people.

I still can't get this out of my head. This bishop has made a deep impact on me. Just imagine looking at Buckingham Palace Garden Parties through his eyes.

His villages are full of people dying from malaria and other preventable diseases, they do not have enough to eat or drink, and we live in such luxury and plenty. My heart goes out to this bishop and the others there yesterday. The total tragedy if the anglican communion breaks down over gays and sex, is we in the west need to hear the story of my brother bishop from Sudan. I am proud to be in the same church as him.

The bishops marched through London yesterday to say the goals our Political Leaders signed up to called the Millenium development goals are not going to be met. Our politicans are not delivering what they promised.

The goal of universal schooling by 2015 now won't be met till at least 2100. We need to shout louder, this is UNACCEPTABLE. We are told bland glib management speak like this is not target, slower progress than desired, moving towards our goals. These are not the right terms to use. This is UNACCEPTABLE. Period.

So write to your MP and say so...lets start shouting. Last century the largest single killer was small pox. It killed more than the 2 world wars put together. We eradicated small pox , we found a vaccine and it was wiped out. We had the will and the resources of our world were put on the case. So the largest single killer of the century was wiped out, surely we can do it again. With the will and the energy, we together can make poverty history. Are you prepared to play your part? Start praying, start shouting, and start doing. If the Church isn't about alleviating poverty and curing disease, let's shut up shop and give up.

Disconnect

I hope this makes sense, but if blogs have any purpose they are surely for people to air what they are thinking. Am I the only person to have such a sense of disconnect between what happens at the top of the church and what happens at the bottom on the ground?

I am still recovering from General Synod, and now poor Rowan Williams is up to his eyes with the Lambeth Conference when once again the good ship Anglican will wash her dirty linen in public. When our bishops will spend time with megaphone diplomacy, with the Gene Robinson roadshow hitting Canterbury, and the GAFCON guys counteracting it. The world stands and watches and thinks we are nuts. Debating issues to do with sex, gay people and women, while kids are being knifed on our streets, and an egg costs $8million in Zimbabwe.

And yet I travel all over these islands meeting churches working hard on the ground. Quietly changing lives, quietly making a difference. In our inner cities the Church of England works hard to make a real impact on local communities, our Church Army Evangelists working on the margins, helping people, showing God's love. And all the background noise from the top with Synods and Lambeth Conferences. Does anyone else see this disconnect?

A friend of mine, a leader of a large evangelical church said to me the other week that his parish has people opposed to women's ministry and those in favour. He has people who are in favour of liberalising our view on homosexuality and those opposed. He has people who are creationists and those who believe in evolution. They just get on with the job of following Jesus and trying to change the world.

I wake up some mornings determined to resign from the Archbishops' Council and General Synod, because they depress me. The disconnect hits me everytime I go. Then I think people like me need to be there. But its just hard work. The Church has institutional depression. I am horrified by the leadership of our church seeking agreement on everything, and wanting to exclude those they disagree with. I guess I am just worried someone will find a way to exclude me!!

Mission in Brighton.....

Let me introduce you to Gordon Banks, an inspirational Church Army Evangelist based in the Diocese of Chichester. I spent some time with Gordon yesterday hearing about his work.

Gordon is Diocesan Evangelist and travels about encouraging churches to be more intentional in their outreach, being more community focussed and real with people. He was telling me an amazing story of a church he worked with in a rural part of the diocese. The main local industry is agriculture, and the farming community was under much pressure. The church arranged a farmers market, where farmers could sell their excellent local produce. The market attracted over 600 people, and then the following Sunday the attendance at the church doubled!

Gordon is a wonderful guy with such a big heart for people, it was a joy to hear his vision. I took a picture of him with his little caravan which he takes to events all over Sussex to literally meet people at county fairs and other events to share the Christian message with them. He has his little caravan out each weekend between now and October, do pray for him and his wife as they meet people and share their faith! What a great guy!!!

Women Bishops, my reaction and speech

I spent some of the last 24 hours doing media interviews on BBC News and Sky trying to make sense of the vote last night. Let me say I am passionately committed to women being consecrated bishops but I am devastated if people I love who disagree with me end up leaving our church. I did an interview live on BBC News this lunch time with my friend Father David Houlding. In the interview we both said we both wanted to remain in the same church, but we need to find the right provision to enable both of us to flourish. It was an amazing interview, because David and I have a real respect and admiration for each other. Mark Simpson of BBC News, said it was great television because he could see we wanted to make this work.

I think Synod took the vote at the wrong time last night. A week before the Lambeth Conference was always going to pressurise the debate, and I met many of my conservative evangelical and anglo catholic friends today who are upset, depressed and deeply hurt. I saw more tears than I could have wished to see. This is not beligerance or sexism, these guys hold these views with deep conviction, and it is what the church has always believed to be true before now. I feel the Synod should have passed one of the amendments to strengthen the provision for those who disagree with women's ordination to the episcopate.

I spoke in the debate last night, and I was strongly applauded for what I said. I urged that Synod be generous and gracious to those opposed. Many people have commended me for what I said and asked for the text of my speech. I wrote it in scribbles, so I have below tried to remember what I said...

Last night at a pub in York a girl asked me what the Synod was arguing about this time. Women or gay people! I said women, she wondered if bishops were paid well. I said I think so, so she said, OK I would love to be one!

Synod my heart is heavy tonight and I feel compelled to speak. I passionately believe women should be consecrated bishops. In my heart I want a single clause measure and a code of practice. I want women to flourish as bishops and exercise the spiritual leadership God has already given them. So I agree with the motion before us tonight. Let me say clearly, I am an evangelical in favour of women's ministry in all 3 orders.

In my favourite novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird" my legal hero, Atticus Finch, said you can never truly understand another human being till you stand in their shoes and see life through their eyes. I have spent time talking to my catholic and conservative evangelical friends, and tried to see life through their eyes. I deeply respect and understand those who disagree with me. But more than that I love those who disagree with me. I cannot imagine the Church of England without my friends. But I believe Synod can make a prophetic statement that we can walk together holding our difference. Today I have heard so much fear in people's voices and in speeches in this chamber. They are frightened where they will fit in the church they love. Fear. Isnt it interesting the most frequent scripture, do not be afraid..fear not.

This is my adopted Church. I love the Church of England but I think I can bring something from growing up in Northern Ireland. You learn that unity is not uniformity. This Synod sometimes depresses me. We sit in our little groups, people who think like us all the time. We need to reach out, listen to those you disagree with, model a way to be church and community. I cannot in all conscience accept a motion that dechurches and hurts people I love. Our friends tonight feel we are ignoring their pain and their convictions. They tell me a Code of Practice is not sufficient, and we have ignored that.

But if we are to have a Code, Synod needs to be generous, and so I support this ammendment which specifically says the Measure will not come into force until a Code of Practice is agreed by a two thirds majority in each house of Synod. But I don't think it will be enough and that deeply saddens me. We need tonight to have both sides give ground, and I haven't heard that.

This Synod has consistently said 2 principles I agree with passionately. We are to have women bishops, and we need to make adequate provision for those who in all conscience with theological conviction cannot accept the ministry of women as bishops. But we haven't.

Friends, how we decide this issue will show to the world whether or not the Church of England can deal prophetically with difference, value and love those whom we disagree with. It can show the world we can walk together and square this circle.

I am naive, because I believe in a God of miracles. If Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley can agree to work together, then surely it is not beyond the realm of possibility that we can solve this question and agree to live together under God. Then we can get on with the real business of this Church, telling this nation about the transforming good news of Jesus Christ.

Desmond Tutu visit to the Marylebone Project

Our wonderful Communications team have now put a video together of Desmond Tutu's visit to the Church Army Marylebone Project. This is an amazing record of an amazing day!

thoughts from General Synod

I write this from the public gallery of the General Synod meeting in the Central Hall of the University of York. I am listening to a debate on whether work is a spiritual exercise. Not massively inspiring, but it feels like the calm before the storm. For just after lunch this Synod will spend 4 hours trying to work it's way through the issue of whether women can be bishops in the Church of England.

I am in favour of women becoming bishops, for lots of reasons. Not least if the church was opposed to women in ministry then we should never have ordained women as priests. That would have had integrity! It would have been wrong but it would have had integrity. The church fudged this question in 1994 and today we are dealing with the results of that fudge. It strikes me listening to people on both sides of this debate, attitudes are hardening. That worries me. We will have spent 8 hours debating this issue over this weekend, and I know it is an important issue, and people have strong opinions. However as an evangelist I spend my time thinking about the people outside the church. To them they are baffled by this debate and how the church could shatter over this issue. I was in a pub in York last night, and the young woman serving me, said "you guys are always arguing about women and gay people". Gosh, try to deal with that!

So yes I am in favour of women becoming bishops and I believe the time is right. However I believe passionately that the Church should honour the promises made in 1994 when those opposed to the ordination of women were promised adequate provision. I hope today in our debate we can come to an agreed way forward. I must admit even my famous optimism is being stretched today.

Where would Jesus be? That was the question Rowan Williams asked in the most amazing powerful moving sermon he delivered in York Minister yesterday. You can read it HERE

Let me quote a small section that moved me to tears...

It's never a bad idea, during meetings of synod or indeed any other church activity, to turn your eyes occasionally – literally or metaphorically – through the windows. You might see Jesus passing by. And where is he likely to be and who is he likely to be with? The Gospel suggests very, very strongly that he's going to be first and foremost with those who do find it easy to hear the word of simple promise.

What would Jesus do?' is a good question to ask, but, 'Where would Jesus be?' is just as good, and, 'Who would Jesus be with?' is a question the Gospels force on our attention again and again.

In the middle of all our discussions at synod, where would Jesus be? Jesus is going to be with those who feel the waterlessness of their position: with those traditionalists feeling the Church is slipping away from them, the landmarks have shifted, and they don't know how what they've taught and heard and what they've been taught can be life-giving for tomorrow. He'll be with those in a very different part of the landscape who feel that things are closing in, that their position is under threat, that their liberties are being taken away by those anxious and eager to enforce new ideologies in the name of Christ. He would be with those who feel that their liberty of questioning is under threat, he would be with the gay clergy, who wonder what their future is in a Church so anxious and tormented about this issue.

Where will he be? He will be with those members of the Synod staff and the staff of the University of York; the people in the Press Gallery, who are trying to keep their minds on their business while dealing with any number of complex personal issues, who may be inflicted by private anxieties, griefs and losses, who will never be noticed by those who take them for granted as they go about their businesses. He will be all over the place. He will be with people we don't much want to sit with, because that's a place he always occupies. He pipes for them, and they will dance, because in their unprotected-ness they are able to meet him at a level any of us can't. Where will Jesus be? In whose company? The company of those who feel lost; have lost; and who are just beginning to see that lost-ness is the beginning of wisdom. It's in that lostness they're beginning to let go of the law that is in their members, the compulsion to take hold of and script and control their future.

Powerful stuff. Rowan Williams is an amazing man. I pray Synod heeds his comments.

Let me close this post with something that troubles me. Big time. Someone who works to serve Synod told me yesterday that frequently Synod put them off Christianity. I am deeply embarrassed and troubled by that comment. I am angered too. Jesus commanded us to love one another. It was not a piece of advice it was a command. I passionately believe, and I may say this in the later debate, that the church could make a prophetic statement to the world about how we can deal with difference and diversity. Unity is not uniformity. I told this person that if I judged Christianity on the behaviour of Christians I would have given it up years ago. I am a Christian because of Jesus. He inspires me, enlivens me and drives me. I love following him.

Rejesus.co.uk

This week we announced publicly something I have been very excited about for a while now. Church Army has entered a very significant strategic partnership with the brilliant website http://www.rejesus.co.uk/ This is an amazing website just dedicated to Jesus, and if you google "Jesus" or "Spirituality" or "Jesus UK" this site is near the top of the list of millions. The estimates are 500,000 people access this site a year, and we think up to a third are not Christians.

Rejesus has been operating for 8 years but had run into financial difficulties. We at Church Army are about evangelism, its in our DNA, and we wanted to do something evangelistic on the web, to try to engage people with the Gospel in cyberspace. It seemed rather than re-invent the wheel, that Church Army could work with rejesus. So this week we announced this key new partnership. Church Army will invest fresh resources and bring a new impetus to the development of this amazing site.

The partnership has been warmly welcomed by a large number of Christian organisations, for more info click HERE

To access rejesus, click HERE

Halleluljah

Tonight I had the most amazing experience, I got to relive my teenage years, bopping to "living on a prayer", "bad medicine", "blaze of glory" and "bad name", as I loved every moment of the Bon Jovi Lost Highway Tour as it hit Twickenham in London.

But there was a moment I was moved to tears. At the end the gig ended with "Bad Medicine" and the crowd roared till Jon and the guys came back for an encore. I was totally surprised when he covered the beautiful and haunting song "Halleluljah", which I associate with Jeff Buckley.

I stood as the crowd swayed, the lights of their mobile phones waving in the dark London night, and 50,000 people sang "Halleluljah" This song speaks of so much, David writing worship songs yet driven by his sensual needs for Bathsheba, and a yearning to know is God there. As Jon sang, as the crowd sang, the lights from the stage shone bright into the sky, and criss crossed, to make a large white cross over Twickenham stadium. I looked and saw the cross over us all, and the crowd singing Hallelelujah, and it was a divine perfect moment. Tears filled my eyes as I yearned to see every person in that stadium know that God and his love.

My heart breaks for the crowd in that stadium. I want them to know that God, and know that God loves them so much. In this week of all weeks when I have been fending off criticism for remarks written below, it reminds me my job, my calling, my vocation. Its to make Jesus known to the people like those around me in Twickenham tonight. The people who look at our church and its politicking and squabbles, and think it is becoming more and more out of touch.

The message of the Gospel, the love of God, the power of the Cross, the Resurrection and the Hope of Eternal Life...there is what I am really passionate about. I love being an Evangelist! Who would have thought it, Jon Bon Jovi in concert...how to kick start your Evangelist's call !!

Blimey.....

Gosh, I didn't realise so many people read my blog! All kinds of websites have run the previous post, "leading evangelical leader distressed at..." etc etc. I am on one level pleased that people read what I say on here. But as usual, it seems people think if you speak up on this issue, and say things like violence against gay people is wrong, that somehow I have turned into a liberal on every theological issue! Can I make clear, I am still an evangelical ! I would have thought that all of us, wherever our place is on the theological spectrum, could agree that violence against gay people is wrong!!!

I am happy to say that my friend Dr Elaine Storkey interviewed the Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orumbi, who is a lovely man, on the BBC World Service yesterday. Elaine asked him directly would he condemn violence against gay people, and he said of course he would condemn it! So I am pleased that the reports from GAFCON may indeed have been sensationalist.

But I still have an unpleasant taste in my mouth. That to speak out against these things, to stand up for what I believe to be right, that people somehow make linkages that I have denounced my orthodox faith ! I think this proves I was right to say what I said. It is easier for me to keep my head down and not comment, but John Philpot Curran was right, evil prospers when good people do nothing. Changing Attitude tell us about the intimidation and violence inflicted on gay people in parts of Africa. It is wrong, and I believe it is as wrong there as it was when some religious leaders in my homeland of Northern Ireland said Christianity justified their bigotry and intolerance.

I hope other evangelicals like me can add their voice to this view. It is exactly the same holy anger I feel when Open Doors tell me of my fellow evangelicals persecuted for their faith across the world.

Countdown to Lambeth

When you log onto the Lambeth Conference website here there is a countdown to the conference, which as I write this it says 23 days, 2 hours and 9 minutes to go. The Lambeth Conference is the gathering in Canterbury every 10 years of all the Bishops in the Anglican Communion.

I wonder how Rowan Williams feels looking at this countdown. So much has been written about this, who is coming, who isn't . ..anglicanism in chaos...church in meltdown....rows..arguments.. etc etc. Meanwhile 200 or so Bishops mostly from what is called the Global South, are meeting in Jerusalem at a conference called GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference). The conference says it is not a rival to Lambeth, but it is hard to see it as anything else. Most of those going to GAFCON are not coming to Lambeth, and most are highly critical of Rowan Williams in his leadership as Archbishop of Canterbury.

I have always believed leadership is important and vital, and leaders are called to lead. If those at the top of an organisation are unable to talk to those with whom they disagree, when that attitude filters down to the bottom of an organisation you can have much more violent disagreements. Growing up in Northern Ireland you see how leaders not talking divides communities. Yet now when leaders do talk and work together, despite their differences, communities have more opportunity to come together. I believe passionately our bishops should ALL be at Lambeth working out how to move our Communion forward, to further the Gospel and show Christ to the world.

I know many bishops in England who do not agree with everything other bishops say, or do not agree with some of the things they have done, but are committed to being together, to pray together, and to seek to demonstrate Christian love to their flocks. I commend them for their leadership and Godly example. It is in marked contrast to some bishops at GAFCON who refused to condemn violence against gay people in their home countries. Quite honestly that is disgraceful, it sullies their cause, and is totally un-Christian. You cannot justify violence in God's name. Period. To the eternal credit of Archbishop Peter Jensen of Sydney, he condemned the violence when the african bishops refused. Those who perpetrate violence against gay people in Africa now can use this silence to justify their behaviour. Christians must speak up and say this is wrong.

The irish novelist Brian Moore once said there are 2 hidden kinds of lies in the world. The lies of silence, where good people do not speak up when wrong is done, and the lies of truth, where lies are told so often they pickle into truth. We need as Christians to speak up against these lies when we see them.

Whatever your views on Christianity and sexuality, violence against gay people is wrong, and homophobia is wrong. Jesus died for all people whether straight or gay, and he loves everyone equally.

Finally, please pray for Rowan Williams at this time. I get to spend time with him from time to time and he is a godly holy man, with an impossible job. Rowan is lovely, and has such a warm open gentle spirit. He is a gift to our Church. Pray for him in the middle of all this that God would use him to lead the Lambeth Conference in such a way that our church can emerge with more unity, and more committed to mission and evangelism, which is our real job!

I still believe in a God of miracles....pray for one for Lambeth!