The cold dull heart

Last night the Christian Union had a bring and share dinner overlooking the sea as the sun was setting. We enjoyed the food and fellowship and most of all we enjoyed the sunshine that was keeping us warm. But as the sun was setting, several of us were beginning to shiver due to the heat of the sun becoming less and less. We tried to wrap up warm, but it wasn't the same. As I got home, I reflected on this and realised it was an image of Christ and our hearts. 

We often think that as long as I go to church and my outward appearance looks Christian, then I am safe and I don't need to worry about my heart. But the real truth is that our hearts need Christ. Christ is like the sun to us, beaming his rays of warmth onto our heart, melting them, warming them to the point where they are inflamed with love and joy for Him. 

But what happens when the sun sets and Christ is no longer warmer our hearts?

I reflected on Romans 1 as I study this letter with a student. We notice that Gods judgement is not what we expected - we think he should be throwing down wrath on the wicked, but God does something that surprises us. He leaves us in our sin. - "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done." (Romans 1v28)

This may not seem like a judgement at all and we may see it as a way to do what we want. But when you think about Christ being our warmth and our source of love and joy, we are reminded that this judgement is terrifying. Gods judgement is to allow us to go further into our sins and for our hearts to become cold and dull. To not have Christ shine his warming love into our hearts, is possibly the worst kind of judgement on this earth!

As I read through Exodus, I come across Pharaoh and I am told his heart become hard and God hardens his heart...we get so caught in "who hardens who", that we forget that this is Gods judgement on the wicked - Pharaohs heart is so bitter and hard and far from Christ that he cannot be warmed - his heart is cold and the outworking of that causing great distress. 

This cannot just be a warning to non Christians - but surely to Christians that dress up in Christianity or those of us who have hard hearts? You must ask yourself if your heart is adoring Christ, if the rays of his warming love is set upon your heart? Is your heart melting and becoming soft? “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” (Hebrews 3v15)...

Without Christ, just as the sun goes down, we become cold and dull. Keep in the fire of Christs love.

Consider ourselves as Christ does

After a little break - the Bruised Reed blogging is back!

We have seen what it is to be bruised and how Christ is our greatest comfort. But Sibbes also talks about what it is to be a smoking flax. He describes the smoking flax as:

"In a smoking flax there is but a little light, and that weak, as being unable to flame, and that little mixed with smoke. The observations from this are that, in God's children, especially in their first conversion, there is but a little measure of grace, and that little mixed with much corruption, which, as smoke, is offensive; but that Christ will not quench this smoking flax."

I think what Sibbes is getting at, is the times of doubt and times when we feel discouraged at our growth as Christians and the frustrations of sin in our lives that blemish us. Which can bring us to being bruised as well, its like a circle of feeling bruised because we are a smoking flax and the other way around. I think this because he gives examples: 

 

"Moses at the Red Sea, being in a great perplexity, and knowing not what to say, or which way to turn, groaned to God. No doubt this was a great conflict in him. In great distresses we know not what to pray, but the Spirit makes request with sighs that cannot be expressed (Rom. 8:26). Broken hearts can yield but broken prayers.

Help thou mine unbelief.' There is smoke (Mark 9:24). 
Jonah cries, `I am cast out of thy sight.' There is smoke. 
`Yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.' There is light (Jon. 2:4)

`O wretched man that I am!', says Paul, with a sense of his corruption. Yet he breaks out into thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 7:24)." 

But there is always great hope in times of doubt and our confrontation with sin. I think I find these times really hard because I see how unworthy I am and how much I need Christ and how much I am so far from living for Him in my heart. My heart is certainly corrupt!! 

But again Sibbes encourages us to not look within ourselves nor dwell to much on our sin but to look to Christ, who values us so highly because of the work He does in us! -

"Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be `holy and without blame' (Eph. 1:4). Let us look on our imperfect beginning only to enforce further striving to perfection, and to keep us in a low opinion of ourselves. Otherwise, in case of discouragement, we must consider ourselves as Christ does, who looks on us as those he intends to fit for himself. Christ values us by what we shall be, and by what we are elected unto. We call a little plant a tree, because it is growing up to be so. `Who has despised the day of small things?' (Zech. 4:10). Christ would not have us despise little things. "

This is amazing, just digest this again.... 

"Otherwise, in case of discouragement, we must consider ourselves as Christ does, who looks on us as those he intends to fit for himself. Christ values us by what we shall be, and by what we are elected unto."

Sitting by the fire of Christs love

Why do you evangelise?

Or perhaps a better question is:

Why don't you evangelise? 

The more I think about this the more I have to look into my own heart and see how I respond to these questions. Most the time my answer would be:

Why do I evangelise?: Because I feel like I have to or church told me to or that's what Christians do, right?

Why don't I evangelise?: Because I feel like have to or I just dont feel like it. 

I don't think I stand alone in this. That may sound odd. But I bet youth workers and pastors struggle with this too. Perhaps you sigh with relief when you hear my response?

I have been thinking about why this is and I have realised that when I am feeling most alive and on fire for God - in the sense that my affections for Christ are on fire is the time when I most want to tell people about Jesus. I want to tell people about Jesus when my heart is soft and melting with his love. Its when I am being reminded of the Gospel, when my heart is warmed to the truth of Christ, when someone sets Christ in front of me as the greatest joy in the world, where they bring about flames of adoration and worship to my soul because of the love of Christ.

I don't mean just knowledge of who Christ is nor "feeling" pleased with how I am doing as a Christian. Forget what I am doing and how my quiet times are going - they are not the object of my affections. I mean when we truly, deeply love Christ and are drawn to Him, seeing that he is lovely in the sense of all beauty, all perfection, all comfort, all satisfaction, all joy... if my heart can be kindled by the love of Christ which will then set my soul on fire for Him and to burn with deep love and adoration for Him alone - then there will be no escaping the desire to tell the world about the one whom I love.

So I ask:

Imagine if we heard sermons like that on Sunday?
Imagine if we fired up the Christian Union like that during the week?
Imagine if our 121s were like that?
Imagine if we as Christians were reminded of the Gospel daily, drawn to the love and depth of Christ so that our hearts are dripping with adoration for him...

Imagine how that would affect our lives. Our desires. Our evangelism. Our conversations. Our attitudes....

Lets have more of Christ. More affectionate, heart stirring, Gospel warming, sin cutting, soul healing, fire burning love for Christ in our conversations, sermons, seminars, 121s, outreach....

Are you sitting in the cold right now? You don't feel this love? Well why don't you sit by the fire of Christs love, remind yourself of the Gospel and His great love for you. Sit there until your heart has melted.

Richard Sibbes says:

" If God love us thus, what must we do? Meditate upon his love. Let our hearts be warmed with the consideration of it. Let us bring them to that fire of his love, and then they will be like hot wax within us"

Why do I evangelise?: Because the love of Christ burns in me and warms my heart so that I cannot help but share the Gospel

Why don't I evangelise?: Because my heart is hard and cold and needs to sit by the fire of Christs love until it melts

Let your reading be like good wine...

Mike Reeves hits us again with the delight in reading theology and learning about theologians. This isn't a book that causes us to stand still but to "go back to the sources"! He takes us through Luther, Calvin, Owen, Edwards, Schleiermacher and Barth and spurs us on to read more about them and go to their works of theology and delve into the depths.

This is a book that starts to kindle our hearts and open our eyes to see that theology is far from boring and that modern day books of our time about christian living and Christ are perhaps not as satisfying as some of the works from past ages. Although don't be put off by what you may of heard in regards to some of these theologians, but I challenge you to read about them and for some of them - certainly Calvin, Luther and Edwards you cannot help but have your heart wooed to Christ. That's what you want in a book about theology and that's what they do...

I am tempted to make a bold statement and say to you to put down all those modern day authors - Driscoll, Piper, Chester and even Mike Reeves and pick up the works suggested by Reeves by Calvin, Luther, Edwards etc Pick them up and digest and read slowly and enjoy and relish the beauty of Christ and let your heart overflow with the joy of knowing Him more. Then once you do that, go on to others - Sibbs, Bunyan, Wesley etc

Also don't be put off by wrestling with what they are saying - they are not fast food theology, tweeting to your veins for quick snap information - no! its better and richer then that, in fact its like good wine or filter coffee, its to be smelt, swished, sipped and enjoyed. Let your reading be like good wine and good filter coffee. You will be surprised at what benefit it is to your soul and what relevance it is to your life now...
Don't stop at Reeves, go back to the sources!

Bish writes a review here.

No sulky faces please...

"The theologian who has no joy in his work is not a theologian at all. Sulky faces, morose thoughts and boring ways of speaking are intolerable" -  (In the book "On Giants Shoulders", quote from Karl Barth)

Do I have joy in my work? In theology?
Or is my Christian life one sulky face and is spoken in a dull manner?... 

Praying mirrors the Gospel (pt2)

Yesterday we looked at the 6 am Christian and how our attitudes to prayer can be wrong... today we are going to look at how praying mirrors the Gospel. These are notes taken from a Team Day by Jim Walford.

If I was to ask you this question - "What is the best thing about being a Christian?" what would your answer be?

Perhaps it may be on the lines of eternal fire insurance - a one way ticket out of hell or even being a part of a community where you are accepted.
When I watch programmes on TV about what Christianity is, I am always swallowed up by the sheer amount of talk about how Christianity can improve your life or how its about following the 10 commandments.

But I think we sometimes miss the best thing ever about being a Christian which is having a relationship with God as Father. Furthermore within this relationship, like any relationship there is communication. This is prayer. We can pray to our Father who created the heavens and the earth.

During our Team Day with the South West, Jim Walford opened our eyes to the warmth of being able to communicate and enjoy our relationship with our Father in heaven. He took us back to the state of our being which is helplessness. We are helpless, proud beings that like to think we are in control but actually we are utterly dependant on our Father and like children we need to see that we are helpless and need to come to our Father for everything...

This is how praying mirrors the Gospel. Its the helpless dependence on our heavenly Father and we approach him by no achievement of our own but by His sons blood. But the point being is that the Father delights in us coming to Him as little children, depending on him, asking him for everything we need and enjoying a relationship with him. God looks at the humble and receives him -

"This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word" - Isaiah 66:2

Just three quick points as I know this has just been a summary of what we were taught:

1. Why pray? - Because we can cry "Abba Father" as sons of the Father
2. How? - Like a child, helpless and dependant on our father
3. What? - Pray everything, all worries, ideas, wants, needs... he is listening.

Praying is good, whatever time of day it is...

(I apologise that this came up on your RSS feed early - blogger went crazy and published this early!)

The 6 am Christian (Pt1)

You know who I mean. That Christian that wakes at 5 am in order to pray at 6 am... you know this person because they tell you that they do this... and if you say you pray later then that - well your prayers are obviously not heard. There are some real bad attitudes with praying and we (I) can fall into two camps - Guilty Christian and Proud Christian. Both thinking waking up early to spend many hours in prayer or even bible meditation is more godly then praying at 10pm...

Night Owl - Guilty Christian?

This Christian is perhaps the night owl and prefers the midnight silence where the house is still and you open your bible and read "when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night;" (Psalm 63:6). In the darkness the light of the Lord seems brighter and you rejoice of the day that's been...

But then you read those biographies of George Muller and other great missionaries and theologians and they recall how they woke up so early and prayed for hours starting at 4 am.... eekkk... Guilt Guilt....

Or you meet a fellow Christian and they go on about how their 3 hour prayer was a blessing and they are so disciplined everyday cos they woke up so early...then they stare at you and the words spit out of their mouths "So what time do you get up?"....eeekkkk Guilt Guilt Guilt....What runs around your head? Well... this is what runs around my head...

I am a failure for not being spiritually disciplined as you...(Guilt!)

My prayers are obviously rubbish compared to your morning soaked prayers...(Pride!)

I should just be like you (strange pride and Guilt)

The Morning person - Proud Christian?

This Christian enjoys the sunrise and sings with the birds... they enjoy opening the bible as the suns beams ripple across passages such as "But I, O Lord, cry to you; in the morning my prayer comes before you." (Psalm 88:14) They rejoice that a new day is being unfolded....

But sometimes pride seeps in and your heart begins to shout "hey, I woke up early to pray..."... now everyone knows..eeekkk pride!. Its easy to think you are doing well when you get up at 6 am everyday to pray...but what if you miss it? eekkkk guilt..... oh no! Better set three alarms....

Or you easily get up and enjoy it and yet see any other Christian who might get up later but stay up later as less then you... evidently you are better... eeekk pride.

I think both attitudes are simply dangerous. This is not cultivating the right attitude to prayer. I am a night owl, my best times with praying to God and reading the bible is at night. Many people I know are morning people and enjoy prayer early in the morning. Both I think both are great...I am not sure it matters what time it is, the important thing is our hearts and talking with our loving Father through the Son...

When we start to feel guilty or proud we need to come back to the Gospel. We need to come back to the Cross. Who are we in Christ and does that change depending on the time of the day?...

Maybe we need to start encouraging each other to pray and to embrace diversity and character in prayer...

Inspired by this post: God is a morning person and satan is a night owl...

Being Gospel Centered

Tim Chester writes in "Total Church" -

"Being gospel-centred actually involves two things. First, it means being word-centred because the gospel is a word - the gospel is news, a message. Second, it means being mission-centred because the gospel is a word to be proclaimed - the gospel is good news, a missionary message" (pg16)

He goes on to write how this impacts our everyday lives...

"The challenge for us is to make the gospel the center of our lives not just Sunday mornings, but on Monday mornings. This means ending distinctions between "full timers", "part timers" and people with secular employment...We need non full-time leaders who can model whole-life, gospel centred missional living. It means thinking our workplaces, homes and neighbourhoods as the location of mission. We need to plan and pray for gospel relationships. This means creating church cultures in which these are normal, celebrating day to day gospel living in the secular world and discussing how we can use our daily routine for the gospel"  (pg36)

How to enjoy Relay Homestart...

This time last year I was getting ready to go on my next adventure by doing Relay Homestart in Peru. I know all the feelings of being excited, nervous, unsure, insecure, scared, happy, sad to leave friends etc... with a million emotions all in one I knew I would be boarding that plane soon with no language skills and no real understanding of what it means to live in a different culture and really no idea of what I was really doing. So as I am guessing that some of you will be feeling these things at some point, I want to write a quick guide on how to enjoy and make the most of Relay Homestart - whether that's in Europe or China or South America...

1. Pray and continue praying - this may sound like a given. But we are sinful creatures that like to draw upon Gods help at the start and then when we get use to the culture and the language, suddenly God can be out the picture. Don't be complacent, continue praying and bring everything to God  
2. Don't expect it to be like Relay - On Relay you had amazing support every week, you had theology to read, students to meet up with and conferences to build fellowship. But its all different on homestart, don't expect it to be like Relay at all - you may not get weekly support and it will take you a while before you can speak the language enough to be able to meet up with students one to one. This wont be like fitting on a glove. You are not the star relay worker in your university spouting Grace and Grudem. Your the foreigner that cant speak the language. But there are lots of advantages for it not being like Relay and you will find them out.
3. Jump into the culture - The Culture your going into is different and can seem scary and you may get culture shock. The only way I dealt with this is by not shutting myself away but being apart of the lives of others in the culture. I was living with a family and so I joined in on everything the family was doing - watching TV with them, going to church events, going shopping with them etc...although I couldn't speak Spanish, my actions and my time shared with them proved to be shouting louder then words. So join a youth group or prayer group, join in with a family, be with different people and don't just hang out with English speaking people. Also try and eat everything or at least a bite - it shows your willing to try things. 
4. Don't live on Facebook - Its very tempting to hide yourself away on facebook everyday. My suggestion is to not touch facebook for the first month - your friends will understand. Its more important that you get to know people where you are living then keep updated on the facebook feed. Your relationships where you are will be better off. 
5. Enjoy the Differences - everything will be different - smells, food, people, clothes... but don't be cynical - its easy to believe that the English culture is always right, but you will see that its not and there is so much to learn in the differences. At times it will be frustrating, but as much as you can enjoy the differences - don't complain about them to other people, but let your words be encouraging and pure. 
6. Your Identity is in Jesus - This is a huge lesson I learned. It is very easy to place your worth and Identity in everything but Jesus. You will want to place it in your language skills or how many one to ones you have or what you are doing compared to everyone else. But quickly you will see that when you place your worth in those things you will fall apart because they will not stand up - your language will fail, you will find yourself at times doing nothing or not knowing what to do! But Jesus will always remain and if your identity is in Him you will not fall and he will never fail you. Ever. 
7. Don't expect to stay in touch with everyone - Some people are good at keeping in touch, some are not. Some will be annoyed that you are not emailing them everyday. The truth is, is that you wont have time to be keeping in touch with everyone and that's a reality that you will have to not feel guilty about. 
8. Read your bible - Keep yourself in the word even if you don't have a routine. You will find that church wont be a place where you can get either teaching you understand or teaching that's going to feed you. But the Word of God will feed you. Keep in his word, enjoy His word, Delight in his Word, Weep over His Word and Rejoice that you have the Word of God in your hands. 
9. Be prepared for crazy emotions - At times you will find yourself so happy your skipping down the road and then the next moment you are crying. You will feel alone and then very loved. This is normal, so don't worry. But remember your emotions are not reliable - but God is. Your emotions go up and down but God stays the same. God is still God. That is a good truth to hold on to. Don't be subject to your emotions, but know that God uses you in your weakness and when you are alone, you are actually very close to Jesus. 
10. Love - Love the people, love the fruit lady, love your team mates, love other missionaries, love the crazy drunk man on the street, love the unlovable, love Jesus and do everything in Love. And enjoy every moment.

Living life too much online?

A new feature has come to facebook - A "Check In" app. Which allows you to tell people exactly where you are and allows you to share your favorite places to your facebook world. The facebook blog tells all here. And CNN has written an article online about it here.

But does anyone get scared that we may be living our lives through a computer screen? We are in a social media craze and no one can doubt the benefits it has brought us. And we can argue that its a fantastic way to share the Gospel - you can send out a message of the Gospel into the cosmos through twitter, facebook, msn, skype or blogging. It saves talking face to face (although is that a good thing?) And I do love the fact that I can chat to people across the world, that I can instantly keep in touch with them and have live chats or instant messenger.

But I wonder whether we live our lives too much through these social networks. The first thing we do in the morning may be to check our emails or facebook page. We find out gossip through the main facebook feed... who is going out with who, what new pictures there are, who has done what etc... is there any privacy? But of course you dont have to post anything or even be on facebook.

And yet its addictive. Technology is addictive and social media scratches that itch we all have. It seems that we spend most our lives in front of a computer screen instead of in person. However you cant really visit the sick through a facebook "poke"...

My point is not to say that facebook is bad, because I enjoy using it. But I wonder as a Christian if I can use my time better and if there are other ways that are more effective and more heart warming when it comes to fellowship with people in the church or sharing the Gospel with people? I dont believe church can be done online. I think church is about tears, joy, sharing burdens and being in contact with people which is more then an email can do. Otherwise I think we just shut ourselves off to personal human communication and we relax into twittering our spouse when they are upset or facebooking someone who is lonely instead of getting up and speaking to them or making the effort to see them... Its very easy to hide behind a screen and perhaps we (including myself) are is too scared to actually open up to people beyond cyberspace. 

What do you think?

A Glance at Galatians Pt 6

Pt 6 :: I no longer live


This is an amazing verse:
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.


There is so much to unpack from these verses. But one I want to focus on is the bit where it says "I no longer live". Ponder this for a bit. What does this mean for you to no longer live? It doesn´t mean you have physically died. But it does mean your life has changed and has been put to death. I think about this concept of "I no longer live" and why I don´t live anymore? because "I have been crucified with Christ". My life is no longer about me, I am no longer Queen of the life of Cat. It means that my desires, hopes and dreams and character and all the old ways of how I lived have been Crucified with Christ. Think of this freedom!! no longer are we slaves to ourselves and our fleeting desires, or to the world that pumps into our heads ideas of the perfect life. We are now free in Jesus Christ. Which means a change of living and thinking.


I look back on my day and I think - how many times have I thought of "me" of my desires, of my wants and of my needs. The world I live is about me and there is problem here, there is a conflict with living like this and living in Christ. I can´t live like this and shine Jesus, the only person I will be showing is my sinful self. If I no longer live, then the world that revolves around me needs to be turned inside out to a world that is centered on Christ. I know this isnt something I can do by myself but I can keep looking at Jesus, I can keep looking at the cross and pray the God would remind me of who I am living for. I can look at the cross and say - I have died there with Christ, this is not who I am anymore.  Like this:

• When I think of complaining about my life because its not going my way.... I can look at the cross.
• When I think of not helping someone because I am too busy...I can look at the Cross
• When I think the temptation looks good and I want to sin... I can look at the cross
• When I think of not praying or reading my bible... I can look at the cross
• When I can´t be bothered to love some... I can look to the cross
• When I am too busy to talk to someone... I can look to the cross.

As a Christian I live a new life that doesnt revolve around me and my dreams.But its about the church and serving the church, its about my non Christian neighbour and helping at all times of the night, its about the student that I meet up with for a bible study, its about washing up, its about loving others, its about the homeless man on the street, its about the christian struggling in her faith, its about encouraging others, washing their feet, eating food with people,sharing the Gospel. Its about Jesus and what he wants with my life. Its not about my career, my promotion, my talk, my blog, my hunger, my "me" time, my shower, the way I think things should be run. Sometimes all of these things are to be crucified, we are to suffer our comfort for others. 
You hate hearing those words? They are hard. But think... What does it mean for you not to get your own way? for you to be crucified in Christ? For you to no longer live?

A Christian starting Uni?

You are about to enter what is described as the "best years of your life". I can agree to this, yet there are many Christians that go to uni and fall away. Other things become a priority, the uni life of getting drunk, sex and even being under pressure to get that first class degree.

What we most praise we will prize. If your hearts praises the above things then God and church will slip from your life. Perhaps think about this before you start Uni or if you are starting another year at Uni and know that God wasn't at the center of all that you are doing. Are you going to praise and prize Jesus above everything? Is Jesus worth more then anything that Uni offers you? Are you prepared to be a missionary on campus - being light and salt to your hall mates and course mates?

I was thinking about ways that you may find helpful. Here are 10 things that may help you continue the race as a Christian on Campus.

1. Get stuck into Church. Try to choose a church quickly to avoid being stuck 6 months later with church hopping. The truth is that there isn't a perfect church, so you have two ways you can approach getting stuck into church and one of them will lead you to nowhere...
a) Find a church that serves you and feeds you.
b) Find a church that you can love and serve.
Church is so important, its your family and community, we are not individuals in Christ, we are a church. Think carefully about what the church teaches - if its not from the bible, I wouldn't bother going.

2. Get to know your hall mates. This is essential. Spend time with them, hang out with them and build relationships. You have a whole year with them and you may want to live with them next year. Share Jesus with them with being honest about what you do and how you live. It doesn't mean you have to go out getting drunk with them, but you can hang out with them and be a witness.

3. Get stuck into Christian Union. The Christian Union is a wonderful place to meet new Christians on campus, to be inspired and encouraged by older Christians and to be equipped for mission on campus. It is not so much as a social club, but a place to be encouraged and equipped to reach out to your non christian friends.
*Christian bubble ALERT* - be careful not to be warped into a Christian bubble. This is dangerous, you will spend all your time with Christians and christian music, books and theology. None of which are bad, but if that's all you do then you are in danger of never being able to reach your non christian friends because you are to wrapped up in the safety of your Christian bubble.

4. Join other societies. Don't just do CU events, the CU should be enabling you to join other societies so you can reach out to them with the Gospel. Therefore find something you are interested in and join the group and make friends! Keep going to their events.

5. Go to your classes. It is tempting to skip classes for several reasons - missions week, feeling tired, can't be bothered etc... they are not excuses! Its important to get to know your class mates and build relationships with them - you will be with them for 3/4 years, which gives you amazing opportunities! Plus you are here to do a degree, you can work for Jesus by being studious on your course.

6. Eat Well and Sleep. It is tempting for your first few months to survive off pizza, junk food and as little sleep as possible. University is exciting but you might die before you finish it with that lifestyle. Learn how to cook, get someone to teach you and eat lots of fruit and veg. Also get sleep - you will need it, esp the older you get!!

7. Invite friends to church or CU or Alpha. This may seem scary but in the first few weeks of Uni, anyone will go to anything because they want to try everything. So why not invited them to Church, CU or Alpha? Get them thinking and asking questions. They may be more open to Jesus than you think!

8. Make friends with internationals. You may have lots of international students on your course or in your halls. Why not invite them for dinner or sit next to them in class? Its scary being away from home and not having English as your first language. Just because they are "different" to you shouldn't be an excuse. Building friendships with them will be a wonderful way to share English culture and their culture.

9. Be accountable to/be mentored. I would recommend finding an older Christian that you can either be accountable to or be mentored. I was mentored as first year and I think without it I may of wondered away a bit. Its a great opportunity to ask lots of questions and study the bible. Perhaps there is a Relay worker or Staff worker to meet up with? I use to make Dave Bish meet up with me for coffee and I asked him loads of questions!! Its worth doing.

10. Read and Pray. When I say read, its good to read anyways, but I mean read the bible. Try to find a time in the day where you can read your bible and find out more about Jesus. It may be hard at first but it will be like honey to your soul. Learn to be disciplined in prayer, see that talking to the creator of the universe is a good thing and a wonderful gift that we can do. See God work in many ways in your life, seek Him and continue running the race.

I hope you find these helpful. Don't feel like you *have* to do these things out of duty, but enjoy Uni and the people you meet and the conversations you have. It will be scary and exciting and totally worth it.

Christianity ought to touch the whole of Life...

"I would say if Christianity is truth, it ought to touch on the whole life" - Francis Schaeffer

Francis Schaeffer is a bit of a hero of mine, I read his biography a while back and was captivated by his attitude to Christianity, apologetics and serving. To my great delight while in Oxford I met a man named Joe who knew and worked with Francis Schaeffer in Switzerland. I was quite excited to hear stories and hear his wisdom. It was truly remarkable!

But what Schaeffer is saying here is so true. He is sure that if Christianity is true then we cannot box it or put it into a category and leave it untouched. We are introduced with Schaeffer the reality of Christianity that penetrates his life - the kind that digs deep at our soul and gets under our skin. If Jesus is real, if we not only believe but follow and thus a disciple then it ought to touch our whole life. Not just part of it.

Can we perhaps see the ripples of Christ in our life already? You will find that you cannot hold light and darkness together, you cannot hold truth and lies together. You cannot hold Christ as Lord and you as Lord in the same hand. One must go. Either you live for yourself and walk on the path of death or you embrace Christ and lose yourself and find that you are given eternal life. If this is true - then should it not affect every spectrum, inch, moment, thought, action of your life and my life?

I have been thinking how this affects me everyday. Perhaps it should touch how I watch TV, movies or read books. How I talk to people or don't talk to people, how I love others, how I see the world, How I see death and life, church and friendship. How I see what is moral or what the world believes to be true. How I view white lies, how I view myself, how I judge others and how I show the love of Christ to others...

Christianity is not just for Sundays, but its for the Monday morning and the evening in the pub with workmates and the sitting in front of the TV and the walk to church and the listening to friends and the reading of the newspaper and sitting on the train and the love for people from different countries, religions and worldviews. Its for the days that have rain or humid heat, the time we spend eating or the time we spend daydreaming. Its when we read our bible or when we read science fiction, its when we listen to rock music or dance to the tango... "it ought to touch the whole of life".

May I bring my friends?

Peter Storey, a Methodist Pastor says...


"Some tell us that following Jesus is a simple matter of inviting him into our hearts. But when we do that, Jesus always asks, 'May I bring my friends?' And when we look at them we see that they are not the kind of company we like to keep. The friends of Jesus are the outcasts, the marginalized, the poor, the homeless, the rejected--the lepers of life. We hesitate and ask, 'Jesus, must we really have them too?' Jesus replies, 'Love me, love my friends!'"