Who da man?

"Clothes maketh the man", apparently. What a load of old tosh: I've seen Daffyd on Little Britain. QED. But then, what really does make a man a man?

I've just realised this week how much I hate the term "in touch with his feminine side"(*). It often gets used as a compliment these days, denoting a guy who is sensitive and empathetic and not some lager-swilling, odorous lout. I mean, some 'blokes' need a slap 'cos they sashay through life on a mist of pot pourri and with a Body Shop bag of goodies and a handshake like a dead trout, but still others take it too far the other way. Leaving all the housework to the missus and flirting with female colleagues does not make you more manly. There's nothing like a good pizza-guzzling LAN party with the boys, fragging each other in a deathmatch, but I'm also happy to hang out with a bunch of women, have done on occasion, and still enjoy myself; it's not because I've got a strong "feminine side" but because I'm confident enough in my masculinity to not be threatened by that environment. So, again, what makes a man a man?

If you ask me, I'll always look to the Bible for the definitive truth, and to Jesus Christ as the definitive man. Now, I know He was King of all creation in the form of man, and that He was perfect in every way, untainted by sin of any kind. But that doesn't disqualify his example: in His demonstration of what it is to be a man He was strong, empathetic, not afraid to cry, honest, responsible, standing up for what He believed, practising what He spoke, unwavering in His devotion to the Father. For starters. So, if I'm to be a real man the way God intended, I need to be willing to be counted for what I believe, to be willing to tell my mates the truth if needed even if it may hurt (whilst practising sensitivity to the context, obviously), to not be afraid to tell them I love them too, to take the lead in my household and adopt responsibility for my wife and daughter's moral welfare, to not be overbearing or dominating in my leadership but serving Jennie and Amy in ways that make them both know they're loved like princesses and I'll be there for them, to not fear a good cry, to know which fights to pick and which to walk away from, to lead younger men by example, to demonstrate to the world who a real man is and point the way to Christ every time.

I'm trying, I really I am. And I often screw it up. But I'm trying, and that's the point.

(*How many women are praised for being "in touch with their masculine side"?) Read more!

Easter Amnesty

Treason is a serious, serious crime. In this world, the death penalty has now given way to imprisonment as punishment in most countries, but the seriousness of the crime remains. Acting against the ruler, seeking to overthrow that authority, demands justifiable action.

I've done that. Exactly that. I may look like a guy who tries to keep his head down and is a "nice"bloke, but I've been guilty of treason. No, really. Ignoring and or blaspheming God is tantamount to exactly that: treason against the Ruler of all. Devoting my life to something, anything, that I've placed on a higher pedestal than Him is treason. Not accepting His rightful rule, or going out of my way to slur Him, wrongfully accuse Him, or tell Him where He's going wrong is treason. My actions have usurped the Lordship that belongs, by right, to the One Who made me and every molecule that exists in this universe.

And yet... the King of the universe has not only taken the punishment I deserve for resisting His authority in my life and then cast it upon His own Son Jesus in a lingering, unimaginably horrible death, thus diverting the wrath and penalty that was to head my way, He's taken it one step further. Yes. To stand in that dock and be found guilty, and then to be suddenly set free by the Judge's astonishing act of love would be mind-blowing. But... what did He do beyond that? He saw His Son, killed by my crime(s) and raised to life again 2 days later in victory over sin (our falling short of God's standards) and death (the resultant punishment for that crime), He then turned back to me and said, "NOT GUILTY." Wha-? He said what? NOT GUILTY. I'm not only free, but my record has been wiped clean forever too, as if it never happened in the first place ("as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us" Psalm 103.12 - the east to west = infinite distance! Hallelujah!). It's the ultimate amnesty.

As I've had the opportunity to reflect on this scandalous truth once again at Easter, I can only fall to my knees before my King, allowed into his throne room only by the work of His Son, and let my heart overflow in gratitude, my mouth sing with all I have, and my life reflect what He has done for me in word and in action.

Can you say the same? Read more!

...And here we go...

When Jennie and I came up with our "Every day's an adventure" motto for family life once Amy arrived (it’s a mindset thing: how best to instil in Amy a life-affirming, positive, "carpe diem" attitude? By realising that we have a purpose in this life, a reason for living, and that leads to seeing the abundant life that Christ promises us; see Psalm 16:5-11 for starters… :-)), we had little idea how that would really be fulfilled. We’d simply hoped that Amy and ourselves might remember that each and every day we live contains opportunities to learn more, grow more, bless more, enjoy more, embrace more, love more, cry more, worship more… and so the list goes on. But little did we know what God had up His sleeves (and they’re BIG ones, believe me)...

Jennie and I have been so blessed by our family at City Church since we joined in ’99. They have been, and still are, amazing. They have been and will be family in every sense (luv ya xxx). Since then, God has been fulfilling His prophecy over me (as given by Chris McLean when He visited City in May ‘01, and supported since by prophetic words from the likes of Graham Hall and my great buddy Gustav) that I would have my “utility belt” equipped with various “tools” for ministry over time. Where I was a little pastoral, I would become very pastoral; where I was a little prophetic, I would become very prophetic; the same with organisational skills, and so on. It was very much about an all-round gifting in many ways and I was certainly grateful but still a little confused – not to mention frustrated - as to what that really meant: surely I’d just be a “Jack of all trades, master of none”? Where was my specific calling? My specific “that” for which Christ took hold of me (Phil 3.12)?

Well, THAT’s the point. THAT is my “that”, of course... and now it’s become clearer than a Hi-Def picture (I love my HD player… :-))...

God has unequivocally called us to be a part of Beacon Church in Herne Bay. He has spoken to Jennie and I in a powerful way to join the guys there (John and David are the elders at Beacon; great, Godly guys) in laying the foundations for something profoundly new. Since November, Jennie and I and the elders of Beacon & City (our very own Tom “Absolutely” Shaw has been so gracious and supportive; thank you so much, you’re a diamond), along with Graham Hall who oversees the East Kent network of New Frontiers churches, have been praying through and working out what God has been saying to us, and now we have a better understanding, if not yet of the finer details, of God’s dream for the town. Beacon Church itself is (currently!) small, and of a predominantly older demographic, but far outweighing that aspect is their desire for God to move, to bring growth, to reach out to the younger people in Herne Bay (an ever-increasingly younger community of over 35,000 people – a massive opportunity for God to do His usual amazing work), to see them added to the local church, and a dependence on the Holy Spirit for counsel, guidance and inspiration. This is truly exciting stuff.

The details and timing for our move are still to be thrashed out over the next few weeks, and we need to be subsequently patient in developing a God-founded, Christ-centred, Spirit-led vision and strategy for what God has prepared for Beacon Church and the local community. Either way, this is the true epitome of adventure: where we will see God’s hand at work, souls saved, the church added to, the sick healed, lives transformed and broken relationships restored (*), and Jesus Christ – the Answer to everything in this life and beyond – glorified throughout. Where my all-round gifting that God has been developing in me will make itself evident in His intentions. Where Jennie, Amy and myself will grow immensely. And where I HAVE to give Him all the glory – without Whom there would be no such giftings, no spiritual growth, no hope in a fallen world. And no adventure.

Thank You, Lord. Here we go...

(*) If you’re reading that list and think it all sounds a bit utopian, believe me, I’ve seen exactly those things happen on many occasions; even while I type this, names are already springing to mind on each and every one of those counts. This is real, not romance. Thank God :-)

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