A Brief Explanation (part II)

Sorry for the lack of posting. This is due to the fact that a) I’ve been invited to speak at St Paul’s Church, Holgate, York at the weekend and I’ve been preparing to talk on how we practically apply the thoughts contained in the blog so far. This is exciting and the pragmatist in me is loving finally putting some sort of flesh on the theory. If you are in York on Sunday night I’d love to see you there… it starts at 6.30pm. It’ll be useful for those who like theatre and those who don’t. I also was invited to contribute to the ‘Share the Guide‘ website which is run by the Fresh Expressions team of the UK. This was a great encouragement at a time when I was questioning what i was doing. please visit the website and read the article… the picture is professionally done and makes me look like a ponse (it was either a ponce or a nonce!). I’m currently embarking on an intensive fortnight of lectures on Sex and Gender. I have been reflecting but not really got to applying it to theatre and ministry yet.

A friend has blogged some thoughts on the fortnight if you wish and my comments are underneath his.

http://riverbankscribe.wordpress.com/2010/04/23/sex-and-the-anglican-church/

I’d like to add to my comments. I think, ministers need to be able to communicate successfully with the culture in which they are apart. The issue raised by my colleague are useful to note but we walk into trouble when we try and speak on their terms. We preach nothing but Christ crucified. Once people see the power of life in Christ then we have common ground and from here fruitful conversations can be had. In terms of Fresh Expressions this need is heightened. Imposing dogmatic legal restrictions on people as soon as they express interest in being involved in a life with Christ is not necessary. Yes, there needs, to be some lifestyle changes but whose job is it? I think the Spirit works and,as leaders/ministers, it is our job to discern when and how the Spirit is confronting issues and not to rush the work of Him who makes all things new.

With the theatre community, as I have said before, there’s a DNA that explores issues and looks for the different perspective. This means there is often clashes with authoritarian, dogmatic approaches to life and work. I’ll speak a little more on this in a day or two when I have finished writing the next post but for the moment I’ll say that for next year’s placement I’ll have to be humble and patient in my leadership and discipleship. I am, to quote the ordinal for the Church of England, ‘a watchman’ for the Kingdom.

What a wonderful priviledge.