Why am I writing a blog?

For some time I have been wondering how to process my thinking about mission and discipleship today. This comes from 40 years experience as a youth work practitioner and trainer as well as time spent reflecting and thinking. I know that i do this best by articulating my thoughts and interacting with others.

I am by nature a strategist but I believe that our strategy should be underpinned by a clear theological framework. For too long it has felt that much of the approaches to mission that I see mimic the culture of the day with an unquestioning assumption that what matters is being ‘relevant’ rather than being committed to ‘following Jesus’. There has also been an approach characterised by ‘pragmatism’ (what works or seems to work) rather than one of faithfulness (what is God’s way).

We live in a culture of ‘NOW’ and yet we serve a God whose timetable is very rarely one of instant results. After all how long did he wait before Jesus came to earth. But the way forward is not to long for the glory days of the past. Instead we have to be courageous enough to step forward in new ways and get in step with God as he shows us how to follow him in this new world. But he has given us his word to guide us so that we can see how he works and he has given us His Spirit so that we can be empowered to do what we could not do on our own.

I don’t have all the answers but I do have experience to share. Most of all I want this to be a place where I with the help of others can wrestle with questions, share our failures honestly (and successes).

Please join with me and let us together learn how to be faithful followers of Jesus in the 21st Century.

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