Optimal AM Habit: Coffee and Computer?

I have just finished reading Justin Whitmel Earley's, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction (Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2019), which I'm due to discuss with a couple of local pastors in a couple of weeks time.

Earley, an American mergers and acquisitions lawyer, has written an immensely readable and practical book.

He suggests eight possible habits, four daily and four weekly, of resistance and embrace:

Daily:

Kneeling prayer at morning, midday and bedtime
One meal with others
One hour with phone off
Scripture before phone

Weekly:

One hour of conversation with a friend
Curate media to four hours
Fast from something for twenty-four hours
Sabbath

There is lots that's helpful here, although of course much more could be said about each of these topics. The book is somewhat autobiographical and anecdotal rather than massively theological and exegetical but Earley suggests further reading at the end of each chapter where one could dig deeper into these things.

I'm sure Earley is right about the power of habit. Make a coffee and head for the computer pretty early on in the morning is pretty ingrained in me. It would be excellent, I think, perhaps to insert a brief kneeling prayer and a short passage of Scripture in there between bed and screen. Whether it comes before or with the coffee is another question! But it's not easy to change our habits.

Earley says: "Studies show that it takes at least two to three weeks to turn new practices into habits." (p21). He suggests trying one or more of these habits for a month, ideally with others.

It's all very well reading a book and mentally ticking it off as sound and helpful. It is another thing to try change!

If, like me, you aspire to pray but you find it harder to actually pray, Earley has the helpful suggestion of setting an alarm (on your phone) for some time each day when you are likely to be able to take a few moments to pray. 

If starting today seems a little hasty, Lent, which begins this year on Wednesday 26th February might be an excellent time to give one or more of these things a go.

Videos and other resources for using the habits / to accompany the book can be found at: https://www.thecommonrule.org/

Speaking notes / jottings on Psalm 24

Accompanied by death by PowerPoint for our all age service:

(Audio version: https://www.warbletonchurch.org.uk/sermons-talks/?sermon_id=335 - I actually found having fuller notes than I sometime do for an all age service rather distracting so you might notice some long pauses!)

 Vv1-2: “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,

The world, and all who live in it;

For he has founded it upon the seas

And established it on the waters.”



God is the creator, owner, ruler and sustainer of all places and people



Everything, everyone, everywhere belongs to God who made them

The earth, fruitful, peopled, solid and established is the Lord’s

There is not a centremeter of the universe over which God doesn’t rightly say “mine!”



Seas / waters (v2) suggest threat / chaos

God rules over them

His rule is certain and secure



Vv3-4 zoom in from all people and all places to a particular place and some particular people



V3: “Who may ascend the hill of the LORD?

Who may stand in his holy place?”



Ascend = go up



The hill of the LORD? -  mount Zion

God’s holy place ? the temple?



God’s holy presence



Holiness



We sometimes imagine that God would happily welcome everyone, like a kind of friendly grandfather giving out Werther’s Originals



But the temple in Jerusalem spoke of both welcome and no entry



God was present to bless his people

He wanted to meet with them

And he called them to come to him



But the temple also had a series of no entry signs

For the Gentile nations

For non-priests

For everyone except the high priest once a year carrying the blood of sacrifice



It is very hard for a sinful people to come into the presence of a Holy God



Terms and Conditions apply!

See v4



God’s guest list (v4):

The Entry requirements:



Clean hands? – actions

Pure heart

Pure worship – he “who does not lift up his soul to an idol”

Pure lips – “or swear by what is false”



We might say it covers:

Right living

Right thinking

Right relationship with God

Right relationship with others



None of us perfectly meet those requirements



But God promises blessing and vindication (justice / righteousness / justification) to those who sincerely seek him in his appointed way (vv5-6)

In the Old Testament, faithful covenant keeping sinners could come into God’s presence on the basis of sacrifice

The innocent animal died in their place so that they could be forgiven

And they trusted God for vindication



Only Jesus perfectly meets the requirements of v4

He is the ultimate sacrifice for sin, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

When we trust in him, we receive the gift of his righteousness, which is by God’s grace to all those who have faith in Jesus



Vv7-10 zoom in again to focus on the LORD Almighty the King of Glory

Imagine a city greeting the LORD as the victorious king, a warrior mighty in battle (v7-)



Do we think of God as a warrior?

The LORD of hosts, the LORD of armies



A triumphal procession



Cf. Palm Sunday – Jerusalem greets Jesus as the king



Cf. Jesus’ triumph by his cross and resurrection

Welcome Jesus the victorious King of Glory who defeated sin and death for us!



Praise God trusting in Jesus, the victorious King of Glory, the perfect sacrifice for sin.

Clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, we are welcomed in and we rejoice to stand forgiven and clean in God’s holy presence.



* * *



Kidner:



King of Glory

A tiny hymn about the power of God the creator

An entrance liturgy about the holiness of God the Lord

A procession liturgy about the victories of God the King

Vv1-2: The All-Creating

Vv3-6: The All-Holy

Vv7-10: The All-Victorious



* * *



Motyer:



Fling Wide The Gates



Approaching (vv1-2)

Welcoming (vv3-6)

            Personal integrity (v4)

            Spiritual integrity (v4b)

            Social integrity (4b-6)

Entering (vv7-10)

            Request (v7)

            Interrogation (v8a)

            Reply (v8b)

            Request (v9)

            Interrogation (v10a)

            Reply (v10b)

Psalm 27 - Headings / Outline

God willing, I am preaching on Psalm 27 in the morning.



I might go for something like:



(1) Confidence in the LORD: faith not fear (vv1-3)

(2) Seek the shelter of God’s house: he will keep you safe (vv4-6)

(3) Seek the smile of God’s face: he will not forsake you (vv7-12)

(4) Confidence in the LORD: take heart and wait for him (vv13-14)


[Update: and here is how it went - audio: https://www.warbletonchurch.org.uk/sermons-talks/?sermon_id=334]

* * *



Goldingay:



Prayer arising out of Testimony



Based on Goldingay p391:

Vv1-2 presumably address the congregation, making a declaration of confidence based on the past event

Vv3-6 develop this logic at greater length

Vv7-12 address Yahweh with a plea for deliverance and reasons for confidence

Vv13-14 address the self, returning to urging confidence in Yahweh



* * *



Expositor’s Bible Commentary:



Confidence in the Lord

(1) Confidence in God’s presence (vv1-3)

            (2) Prayer for God’s presence (vv4-6)

            (3) Prayer for God’s presence (vv7-12)

(4) Confidence in God’s presence (vv13-14)



* * *



Wilson:



(1) Confidence in Yahweh (vv1-3)

(2) Desire to dwell in the house of Yahweh (vv4-6)

(3) Plea for deliverance from enemies (vv7-12)

(4) Confidence and encouragement (vv13-14)



* * *



Wilcock:



(1) Confidence (vv1-3)

(2) Seeking: focused on God (vv4-6)

(3) Seeking: stressed by circumstances (vv7-12)

(4) Confidence (vv13-14)



* * *



Kidner:



(1) Whom shall I fear? (vv1-3)

(2) Sanctuary (vv4-6)

(3) Thy face…, Thy way (vv7-12)

(4) Believe and wait (vv13-14)

* * *



Motyer: The Confident Life



A1: Confidence (vv1-3)

B1: Yahweh’s house, my security in his shelter (vv4-6)

B2: Yahweh’s face, my security in his favour (vv7-12)

A2: Confidence (vv13-14)



* * *



Spurgeon:



The Psalmist’s sure confidence in his God (vv1-3)

His love of communion with his God (vv4-6)

Prayer (vv7-12)

Acknowledgement of the sustaining power of faith and encouragement for others to follow his example (vv7-12)

EFS of the Son

Could there be something in this?

https://www.academia.edu/21050414/Intra-Trinitarian_Obedience_and_Nicene-Chalcedonian_Christology

Extraordinary ordinary

The parish magazine item for February


From The Rectory



As I write, it’s one of those especially dark and gloomy winter mornings. From my study I have an excellent view of the drizzle, which seems to have set in for the day. And I’ve got a few bits of boring admin, which I’ve been putting off, which I ought to grind through.



Some Christians in other parts of the world live their lives in a dramatic context of fierce persecution, but for us things are often pretty hum drum. Maybe from time to time we’re conscious of acute temptations where we might feel everything hangs in the balance and we risk throwing it all away. But I guess for most of us most of the time life, and the Christian life, often feels pretty mundane and ordinary.



And let’s face it, it is. It’s in our ordinary day to day contexts of work, family and friends that we are called to live for Jesus. Loving God and our neighbour is often repetitive. I pray and read my Bible without Damascus Road experiences of flashes of light and voices from heaven. Sometimes it doesn’t feel as if it’s doing me much good, and I can’t say I necessarily have a wonderful moving sense of the presence and power of God. Often I just plod on. And there are the routine tasks of changing a nappy, or doing the shopping, the same old commute to work, or pile of dishes or paperwork, or whatever it may be which we have to deal with. The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction mostly in the ordinary day by day stuff of life. But these things matter to God. They’re the arena of our discipleship. Our love for God is to be worked out in how we treat our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues in the daily interactions of life, how we do our work when no one is watching, and so on.



Yet, if we could see it with the eyes of faith, there is great drama even in this. For spiritually speaking, the Bible tells us that if we are believers in Jesus we have been blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. We are united to Christ by faith in the Holy Spirit. We have died and risen with Christ and our life is hidden with Christ in God. We might sometimes feel rather lifeless, but the resurrection power of Christ is at work in us. His Spirit empowers and animates us and wants to make us more like Jesus. God looks at us in Christ and says to us, “You are my child, whom I love, with you I am well pleased.” We seek to live for Jesus in the mundane day to day, not as those who have something to earn or prove. We’re not trying to pay back a debt. We’re already more loved than we can possibly imagine. In Jesus we are rich and full. God can do more than all we ask or imagine, and he means to bring us to eternal glory.



And our domestic obedience is part of a great cosmic drama. It’s striking that in his letter to the Ephesian Christians, the Apostle Paul can go from talking about relationships between wives and husbands, parents and children, masters and slaves to spiritual warfare, the battle between good and evil, angels and demons. The village shop, the kitchen sink and the factory floor can be the frontline of something much bigger. Every person we encounter is, after all, an immortal soul, someone uniquely created in the image of God and intended to reveal something of his glory. Will we pray that God would help us to see and treat them as such?



The Apostle Paul tells us that because of the resurrection of Jesus, our labour in the Lord is not in vain. Nothing done for Jesus, motivated by faith, in the power of the Spirit, to the glory of God will be lost. Our faithfulness to Jesus is part of the vision of the Lord’s Prayer that God’s will might be done on earth as it is in heaven and that his kingdom might come. One day Jesus will transform and renew all things in the New Creation. And all those who trust in Jesus will be taken up into that wonderful future.   



It might be grey and drizzly, but yet the believer has a mind-blowing song of praise and thanks to sing. The admin is no less boring and necessary, but the call to walk with Jesus and to look to the Heavenly City is an exciting one. May God open our eyes afresh to the extraordinary in the ordinary and give us grace to plod on faithfully with a supernatural joy.

The Revd Marc Lloyd

A Pastoral Exhortation for 2020

If you don’t already…


… make it your top priority to get along to your church’s main Sunday service each week unless prevented from doing so by illness or some other genuine necessity. Go prayerfully seeking to meet with Jesus and his people. Pray for the ministers and for others. Go wanting to hear and apply God’s word. And go in the hope of being able to encourage and serve others. Try to arrive a bit early and linger for a cuppa afterwards and especially look out for anyone who seems to be new or on their own.


… try to get to your church’s monthly mid-week prayer meeting if at all possible. Prayer is vital to the health of the church and it ought to be a good time of fellowship too. Likely it will help you to feel much more part of things and get a sense of the vision of the leaders.


… aim to read your Bible and pray most days. Little and often would be good. Maybe start with a gospel or a Psalm. What does the passage tell us about God and his purposes? How might it inform our prayers? Perhaps say and reflect on the Lord’s Prayer. A little outline like the following might help you to PRAY:


Praise and thank God for who he is and all he has done for you


Repent of any known sins of thought, word or deed or things you have failed to do


Ask God to help and bless others


Pray for Yourself, especially for love and God and for others and growth in Christlikeness.


I bet your pastor or a Christian friend would love to help you to read the Bible and pray. Why not ask them?


… if possible, consider giving a mid-week home group / Bible study a try.


… have a Christian book on the go. Try 10ofthose.com or ask a for a recommendation.

Matthew 11vv2-19

A little outline of what's going on in tomorrow's Gospel reading. It is a section full of questions.


In vv4-6, Jesus responds to John’s question about Jesus. 


Then in vv7-15, we’ll find that Jesus asks the crowd some questions about John.


And then finally in vv16-19, Jesus questions the crowd’s responses both to John and to Jesus.

A reed swayed by the wind (Matthew 11v7)

I've consulted a few commentaries about Jesus' rhetorical question to the crowds about John the Baptist in Matthew 11:7, "What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind?". The implied answer is no.

The options so far seem to be the following, or I guess just possibly some combination of the following:


Did they go just to admire the scenery of reeds blowing in the breeze? (R. T. France mentions this option)


Or something (someone) unstable, slight, inconsistent, easily moved, someone who adapted themselves to the prevailing opinions of the day or to the political weather? (France / Leon Morris)


Or perhaps the word "reed", the wind and the watery / wilderness context is meant to echo Israel’s experience in the wilderness and the wind blowing back the Sea of Reeds so that Israel could come out of Egypt. In this case, Jesus would be asking, is John a new Moses? (Jesus might then ask, is John the Davidic king? see v8) (This suggestion is in Peter Leithart. France thinks this less plausible but cites Davies and Allison 2:247 as supporting it.)


Or a Galilean reed blown in the wind is a symbol of King Herod Antipas' emblem, as used on his coins. It is this Herod who has John the Baptist in prison, of course, and this would fit with the mention of king's houses in v8. (This is N. T. Wright's view. Again, France thinks this is a less plausible but cites G. Theissen, Gospels, 25-42 for it).  

See?

Of course there are many miracles in the Bible. But Jesus is the one who gives the blind new sight. Apart from the ministry of Jesus, the only person to be cured of blindness in the Bible is Saul of Tarsus who recovers from a temporary blindness when scales fall from his eyes (Acts 9:17-18). He has come to see who Jesus is. Jesus came that people might see.



(See Leon Morris, Pillar Commentary on Matthew 11:5 p276)

Calvin on Psalm 72

He is interesting on how the Psalm applies not exclusively but ultimately to Christ:

"Those who would interpret it simply as a prophecy of the kingdom of Christ, seem to put a construction upon the words which does violence to them; and then we must always beware of giving the Jews occasion of making an outcry, as if it were our purpose, sophistically, to apply to Christ those things which do not directly refer to him. But as David, who was anointed king by the commandment of God, knew that the terms upon which he and his posterity possessed the kingdom were, that the power and dominion should at length come to Christ; and as he farther knew that the temporal well-being of the people was, for the time, comprehended in this kingdom, as held by him and his posterity, and that from it, which was only a type or shadow, there should at length proceed something far superior — that is, spiritual and everlasting felicity; knowing, as he did, all this, he justly made the perpetual duration of this kingdom the object of his most intense solicitude, and prayed with the deepest earnestness in its behalf, — reiterating his prayer in his last moments, with the view of distinctly testifying, that of all his cares this was the greatest. What is here spoken of everlasting dominion cannot be limited to one man, or to a few, nor even to twenty ages; but there is pointed out the succession which had its end and its complete accomplishment in Christ."

Parish Magazine Item for January

I have been getting ahead.


From The Rectory



Just in case you are in want of a New Year’s resolution, how about this?



If you don’t already do so, why not take a few moments each day to STOP and pray.



It’s an amazing privilege for Christian believers that Almighty God, our loving heavenly Father, delights to hear us when we pray in faith. Given our needs and God’s power, it’s madness that we so often neglect to talk to him.



Saying the Lord’s Prayer daily and reflecting on it might be a great place to start. The Psalms and the Bible’s other prayers might be a help to us.



There are many ways to skin a cat, but let me suggest one approach to things about which to pray that could get you going. It’s a very easy to remember structure: STOP.



(1) Sorry



Are there ways you know you’ve blown it today? Things of which your conscious accuses you? Maybe things you’ve done or said or thought? Or good things you’ve failed to do? God stands ready to forgive because Jesus died for sinners like me and you. He offers us restored relationship and a fresh start. A mini daily spiritual check up might help us to make real progress this year in being more like Jesus. Pray for God’s help with these things in the day ahead and tomorrow.



(2) Thank you



Gratitude is such a secret to contentment. There may be great struggles and difficulties and you may not have all that you desire, but what could you give thanks for? Whatever your circumstances, praise God that he made you and loves you. Thank him for the blessings you have in Jesus your Saviour, for who he is, for what he’s done for you.



(3) Others



Who do you know who is in need or who has asked for your prayers? Maybe you want to keep a note of a few people to pray for. And here’s an opportunity to broaden out your vision too, maybe to pray for our nation and government or persecuted Christians on the other side of the world. You might use the church notice sheet or prayer diary, or The Sussex Gospel Partnership prayer diary to help you. Or newsletters from Mission Partners. I’m told many people find the Prayer Mate App very useful: www.prayermate.net. Operation World is another useful resource to help us pray for the nations.



(4) Please



Jesus told us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” so we should be unashamed about bringing our needs to Our Father. Pray about whatever bothers you, both for your physical and spiritual needs. Ask for help too know, love and follow Jesus and to share his love with others.



I’ll be praying that you may you know God’s blessing in 2020. Your prayers too could make all the difference. STOP and pray. Why not take a few moments to do so now?



Happy New Year!

The Revd Marc Lloyd

Privilege, Entitlement and Gratitude: Parish Magazine Item for December

From The Rectory

I’ve just had a nice hot shower, for which I’m particularly thankful, as yesterday morning the power was off. Our eldest almost needed a boat to get to the school bus today, but he lived through it! It’s great that there’s a good school virtually on our doorstep and transport so readily available.

And so we could go on. There are so many things which we normally take for granted. Some of us do not have what we might like, or some of the shiny new things we notice others have. We may have to watch the pennies very carefully. But compared to most people down through history or around the world we have so much. The vast majority of the populations of Liberia, The Central African Republic, or Burundi, would find our consumption and waste almost offensive. A time traveller from Medieval or Victorian England would marvel at the affluence and convenience of life in modern Sussex. The choice available in a 24-7 supermarket is almost ridiculous and can be bewildering. And I am tempted to go and count the number of cheeses one could buy from our own village shop to make the point.

Yet we so easily take all this and more for granted. Perhaps we wouldn’t say so, but we behave as if we feel entitled. We can readily fly into a rage if the internet is slow, or the laptop takes an age to update at an inconvenient moment. Or we can feel so disappointed if that meal or event isn’t just so. Or expectations are sometimes so high that nothing can please us.

This December, amidst all the feasting of Christmas and the uncertainty of a General Election, let’s pause to thank God for all that he has given us, for the innumerable blessings which we enjoy. If we do not have all that we desire, we certainly have far more than we deserve.

Remember Remembrance? Gratitude is something we can learn from those who found themselves in the mud of the Somme. That hell on earth showed them with new eyes all that there was to give thanks for at home. Many soldiers came from poverty, but the trenches revealed in a new way the horrors of which human beings are capable.

And in the Second World War, on the home front, the privations of rationing were a reminder to some of the plenty of better times.

Or think instead of that first Christmas. Jesus was totally privileged. Absolutely and rightly entitled. He was by nature God the Son, the Second Person of the Eternal Trinity. Yet he chose to leave all the glory of heaven for the poverty of a no-where-place. In the words of the carol:

God of God, Light of Light,
Lo! he abhors not the Virgin’s womb.

He was born in disgrace and fear, soon fleeing as a hunted refugee with a price on his head. A majestic throne was his by right, but he chose an animal’s feeding trough. Not only so, but for much of his short life he had no where to lay his head. He would die a shameful death for us, in our place.

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becamest poor;
Thrones for a manger didst surrender,
Sapphire-paved courts for stable floor.
Thou who wast rich beyond all splendour,
All for love’s sake becomes poor.

(From a Hymn by Frank Houghton (1894-1972) based on 2 Corinthians 8v9)

May you and your family enjoy a very happy and thankful Christmas. May God give us grateful and joyful hearts that we may be content with little or much.

The Revd Marc Lloyd

Preaching the gospel from Acts 6:1-7

There are many true, useful and interesting things on could say from Acts 6:1-7.

For example, one might say:

• The church can grow despite persecution when the good news of Jesus is proclaimed. 
• Growth can bring problems.
• The early church had problems which threatened the growth of the church.
• It is important to address issues which might impede the spread of God’s word.
• Prayer and ministry of the word are priorities for the church.
• Practical acts of caring and good administration are important too.
• Practical jobs should ideally be done by those who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
• Leadership and service are shared with people having different responsibilities and roles.
• The Apostles led the church but everyone was involved in making / agreeing decisions.

But what is the burden and thrust of the passage that will not only inform the mind but move the heart and activate the will?

And in particular how does it proclaim the biblical gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, for that is surely the purpose of Scripture and of all faithful preaching?

Yes, we need teaching about church life and how we might organise things and so on, but we need each Sunday to hear good news which will be life and joy to us as we trust in Christ.

So how would you do that from Acts 6:1-7. Oh, and one of the services is an all age too!

One of the issues with reading this and other passages in Acts might be expressed as the narrative / normative dilemma: when is Luke telling us what happened and when is he telling us what should happen? Or perhaps more accurately, how and in what respects is this narrative normative? Acts is not first of all a handbook for church government. Granted, for example, that the early church took a decision by casting lots, and even that it was right to do so, does not mean that all church decisions should be taken in this way in the future. Or to relate it to this passage, the seven were all men with Greek names. Does that mean that all deacons should (a) be men and / or (b) have Greek names? Thinking about this can alert us to our own assumptions. The whole of Scripture will help to inform our reading and applying of this passage. And we must do that with the good news of Jesus front and centre.

The spirit formed community of the church serving one another in love is one fruit and expression of that gospel. She is the New Israel experiencing new covenant blessings in which all are invited to partake.

Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds (Matthew 13) All Age Game / Intro.

Look away now if you are coming on Sunday!

I am planning to have a weed or not quiz, and then to go on to mention Jesus and the gospel!

I've got images of these plants on the screen and the idea is that everyone will have a red card to hold up for weed and a green card to hold up for not weed:


Weed or not quiz!



What is a weed?



A plant in the wrong place



OED: “a wild plant growing where it is not wanted and in competition with cultivated plants”



Aggressive, invasive, hard to get rid of, likely to take over



Stinging nettles - Urtica dioica



Daffodills – Narcissus - variety called King Alfred – deer resistant! / deter deer



Sticky weed - Galium aparine – goosegrass - The small, hairy seeds are produced in large quantities, of between 300-400 seeds per plant, are easily distributed and can persist in the soil for 6 years.



Sunflowers – Helianthus - some discussion online of whether or not they are weeds! – perennial sunflowers can grow wild, spread rapidly and be invasive causing problems for farmers



Mock strawberries - Duchesnea indica – not edible, yellow flowers



Aster – daisy like – come in white purple and red – often mistaken for a weed



Japanese knotweed - Reynoutria japonica – many common names: fleeceflower, Himalayan fleece vine, billyweed, monkeyweed, monkey fungus, elephant ears, pea shooters, donkey rhubarb, American bamboo, and Mexican bamboo



Orange hackweed - Pilosella aurantiaca - fox-and-cubs, orange hawk bit,[3]:208 devil's paintbrush, grim-the-collier – can be v invasive – notifiable in some parts of the world, eradication programmes



Mountain mint - Pycnanthemum muticum – often mistaken for a weed – leaves look like they’ve been dusted with icing sugar

Zack Eswine, The Imperfect Pastor - book group jottings

Zack Eswine, The Imperfect Pastor:

Discovering Joy in Our Limitations Through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus

 (Crossway, 2015)

(Updated shorter re-write of Sensing Jesus)

Some jottings for a pastors' book group

Did you find the American / anecdotal / personal aspects a help or a barrier?



Did you find it interesting / striking / usual?



Did you enjoy the somewhat poetic style?



Was it a useful reminder of Jesus the Perfect Shepherd as the model for under-shepherds?



Part 1: The Calling We Pursue



What are your desires (in / through ministry)? (Chapter 1, p17ff)

What do you want Jesus to do for you? (p29ff)

Do you want to do large things famously and fast if possible?

Would you be content to be an unnamed mountain – with faithful obscurity? (p20)



Are you worried that you might e.g. receive praise for a sermon but know little about how to follow Jesus in your living room? (p26)



Did it challenge your ideas of success / what the pastor’s vocation ideally is?



Do you agree our constituency has issues with celebrity pastors and success culture?



Are you tempted to be hasty and neglect mattering things? (p26)



What does it mean to be a pastor and a human being? (Chapter 2, p33ff)

Is there a risk of sacrificing our humanity to the pastor role / persona / identity?

Do you agree that “Christian life and ministry are an apprenticeship with Jesus towards recovering our humanity and, through his Spirit, helping others do the same” for, through, with in Jesus to the glory of God? (p35)

Do you need to recover your humanity? In what senses?

What about the bodily / physical and local?

How might you do that?



What in your background / home life has shaped you? (Chapter 3, p45ff)

How do you tend to relate to men and women?

What are your fears? Are you tempted to use your fists or to run?



Do you embrace the mundane, invisible, uncontrollable, unfinished work of the pastor? (p58f)

How are your private prayers?

Do you agree this seems ineffective?

Are you trusting Jesus or appearances or sub-Jesus methods?



Part 2: The Temptations We Face?



Do you feel the temptations to be:

Everywhere for all? (Chapter 5, p73ff)

Fix it all? (Chapter 6, p89ff)

Know it all? (Chapter 7, p103ff)

Immediacy? (Chapter 8, p117ff)

(In a way these are temptations to be God!)



Are you too quick to throw lots of Bible words at stuff? (p91ff)



Are you in a hurry? Would anyone ever think of you as patient?!



Augustine (p103): you only really understand any Scripture when it tends towards you loving God / your neighbour



Do you need the mantra “I am not the Christ!”? (p35)



Part 3: Reshaping Our Inner Life



How is your inner life?

Do you give attention to it?

How?



How are you with solitude / silence / quiet?



What are your main ambitions? (cf. Chapter 9, p135ff)

Are you seeking wisdom?



How is your walk with God?

Do you long above all things to behold the face of God in Christ from the Scriptures? (Chapter 10, p151ff)



Do you think your pace is healthy? (Chapter 11, p169ff)

How could it be better?

Do you normally manage to live in an appropriate day at a time kind of way? Does the past or the future press in unhelpfully?



How do you feel about emotions?!

Do you think about the emotional toll of different aspects of your work? What drains / energises you?



What are you most burdened from / for? (p170)



Portions of the Day (p169ff) – persuasive? Useful?



Do you “strategically rest in order to vigorously keen going?” (p183)



Part 4: Reshaping the Work We Do



Did you value what he said about:

Visiting the sick (chapter 12, p187ff)

Touch (p188ff)

Calling the elders to pray for the sick / James 5:14 (p194ff)

The care of sinners / church discipline (Chapter 13, p199) – was any of this applicable to the C of E?!

Local knowledge (Chapter 14, p213ff)

Slowing down

Leadership (Chapter 15, p229ff)

Ways of training other leaders

Do you think of these as important parts of your work?

Was what he said helpful?



Do we cause unintended harms which should be red flags to us? (p211)



Do you agree that “pastoral care is mostly presence, being with someone in the midst of what troubles them”? (p191) How are you at that?



What areas do you neglect / decisions do you leave to others / things you don’t sweat?

Are you good at really giving permission and living with the consequences?

Do you micromanage everything / some things?



Is leadership “mostly about trying to embody what we invite others to follow”? (p229) So what?



Useful to ask: is this the right thing? In the right way? At the right time? (p236ff)



Romantic realism – neither defeatist empiricist resignation nor total romanticism (Chapter 16, p245ff)



* * *



Did you find the Bible handling persuasive?



Might the book change how you carry on at all?!

Thank you for Jesus - for prayer and meditation

Father God, thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ,
for my union with him by faith in the Holy Spirit,
and for all the benefits which I have in him.

Thank you that he is eternally begotten of you and reigns for ever.

Thank you for the creation of all things by and for him.

Thank you for his sustaining of all things.

Thank you for his revelation under the Old Covenant,
for his mediatorial work in saving and leading your people Israel
and for the many prophecies and types concerning him.

Thank you for his incarnation in the womb of the Mary.

For his birth.

His circumcision.

His exile and return from Egypt.

His infancy.

His childhood.

His youth.

His obedience.

His growth in wisdom.

His life and work.

His baptism.

His fasting and temptations.

His ministry.

His teaching.

His miracles.

His death.

His burial.

His resurrection.

His appearances to his disciples.

His ascension.

His reign in heaven.

His intercession for us.

His gift of the Spirit.

His coming return to judge the world.

And the coming consummation of his Kingdom in the New Creation.

Or, no doubt better: The BCP Litany

Portions of the Day

Zac Eswine suggests that biblically the day can be divided up into four main portions:

The morning (6am / sunrise - noon)
The noon day / afternoon (noon - 6pm / sunset)
The evening (sunset / 6pm - 10pm)
The watches of the night

Each has its own themes, opportunities and temptations.

Even if you don't find all the details here convincing, it's worth reflecting on. Eswine cites a number of biblical events (e.g. from the life of Christ) and characteristics associated with each.

Each portion of the day might begin and end with a short time of silence, reflection and prayer.

Although Eswine doesn't make this point, these times might correspond to Morning Prayer, Prayer During the Day / Midday Eucharist, Evening Prayer, Compline / Night Prayer.

The Morning is resurrection time. It is time to rise up and give God thanks and praise. It is a time for singing. It offers opportunity and grace, a fresh start, possibilities. There will be work to be done, but first we can receive from God and offer him the day, looking to his strength.

The afternoon is the time of the greatest light and heat. It can be a time of scrutiny and pressure. We must toil and bare the heat of the day. We will be tempted to grow weary and droop. Or be distracted. It is not yet time to relax and we must resist the lure of Happy Hour! Again, we will need God's grace.

The evening is a time for grateful rest, for refreshment, perhaps for hospitality. We must not use the coming darkness as a cover for evil. We can rejoice that we have gone another mile, or at least another step. We must leave behind the undone work. God willing, there will be tomorrow.

It will do us good at some point to look back over the day: what flowers are there to celebrate and is there any muck that needs clearing up?

The night may be for sleep and dreams. In a way we will always be alone with God. There might be times of watchfulness and wakefulness.

And just as there are rhythms to the day, there is a weekly sabbath and seasons of the year too.

These quick jottings from memory might encourage you to get hold of the chapter if you can:

The Imperfect Pastor: Discovering Joy in Our Limitations through a Daily Apprenticeship with Jesus, (Crossway, 2015) Chapter 11: Finding Our Pace esp. pp172-182

Emotional Work Load

It is easy for some of us to think of our work in terms of number of hours put in or number of tasks ticked off or the like.

But it might be helpful to think also in terms of "emotional workload". Visiting a bereaved family or taking a funeral will feel very different from grinding through some admin or working hard on a sermon.

Even if you really enjoy taking weddings, it can feel quite full-on if there is a lively and full church and you naturally want to concentrate on doing it as well as you can for the couple's big day!

You might want to factor in some down time or recovery time or walk the dog or something after particularly intense pieces of work. You could even think about praying and being quiet!

Wedding Meetings Checklist for Vicars

No doubt you will have better, perhaps paperless, ways of doing this but as a reminder to self and in case it is any help, when meeting a wedding couple, probably at some stage you will need either for yourself or to give to them:

Passports and proof of address / other ID checklist
Access to Parish Finder to check re banns
List of qualifying connections and evidence
Banns of marriage form / way of capturing all the data you need for the registers
Any other questions you need to ask about legalities and form of service
Suggestions on hymns, music, choreography, readings and prayers, who might take part (role of father / parents, best man, bridesmaids etc.)
Sort out witnesses and what will happen during signing of the register
List of authorised forms of service (Common Worship, BCP etc.) links / examples
Headings and other content for order of service (e.g. image of church if desired)
Rules about photos, videos, confetti, music, sound systems etc.
Your diaries to fix your next meeting, check for other weddings etc.!
Info on marriage preparation / suggested reading
Suggestions for organists / other musicians
Info on flowers in church
Details of costs, how and when to pay etc.
Some Christian literature e.g. a gospel and a tract
Your contact details
The parish magazine / newsletter / invites to other church services and events
Details of rehearsal and who is needed

What else?

Busy?

Ask any minister how he or she is and there is a fair likelihood that the answer will include some form of "busy!"

Sometimes we say this to justify our existence and herald our hard work.

Often it is true: we are busy.

There's a balance to be struck in these things. Some of us thrive on a deadline. We don't want to be underemployed.

But some of us are sometimes too busy: stressed, frazzled, chasing our tails.

Why is that?

Perhaps pressures from the denomination, or congregation, or community. Sometimes there is just too much stuff that has to be done urgently and we've got to do it.

But more likely I think much of the problem is self-imposed pressure.

Maybe we actually like to be needed. Or we don't trust others to do a good enough job. Or we've worked hard but not smart. Maybe we've not invested in recruiting and training others.

Whatever the causes, too busy for too long is not good for us and our people. A meeting every night in the Vicarage for 10 days will take its toll on you and your family. You can't do too many 8ams to 10pms without wilting.

We do have quite a lot of control over our own diaries and we ought to try to use it well. Likely no one makes sure we clock in at 9am and out at 5pm. A few of us might be tempted to be lazy. But more often I think we're tempted to log in before 7am and check the phone at midnight and....

We and our family and friends actually need us to take our days off. Ideally a full 24 hrs each week as a minimum. Better still with the evening before thrown in if we can.

Saturday is probably not the best clergy day off with Sunday looming. Why not take a Friday? And if you've already done 60 hours by Thursday, you don't have to put in another 8 hour day on Saturday to have earned your merger stipend. Give yourself a break! Yes, work hard, but don't bust a gut!

You are meant to be set aside for the ministry of the Word and prayer so that is what you should do. I know there is the tyranny of the inbox and the treadmill of meetings and prep and the clamour to visit more and... But word, prayer, sacrament is your thing. Do this. Slow down. Be quiet. Think. Pray. Remember Jesus and his gospel. His love. Start the day not with the church's social media presence but in the presence of God. Hear him say to you again in Christ, "you are my child, whom I love. With you I am well pleased." That is the only basis for faithful and fruitful service.

How are you? Loved! Forgiven! Saved! Secure!