Fostering And Adoption

Krish Kandiah by George Fox Evangelical Seminary on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Is it possible for Christians and churches to be good witnesses in the world by getting involved in the fostering and adoption of children? LifeBridge Church in Colorado, USA, clearly thought so. The number of children on the state waiting list has reduced from 875 to 275 since they became involved.

In the UK, Krish Kandiah of the Evangelical Alliance saw the possibility for Christian involvement, especially given his own family’s experience. He has been behind the initiative ‘Home For Good‘.

Could some of our church members think about this as a ministry they could undertake?

What Did Jesus Get For Christmas?

Found at Church Anarchist.

Does this depict the problem we have with mission in today’s church? It made me think of the original slogan of the Pentecost Festival in London: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, the Church has left the building.’ May that be so.

What Affects An Atheist’s Beliefs?

Drogacicto – Drug Addict by Bill Anderson on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Chris Arnade held a PhD in physics and worked in science for twenty years. For him, atheism was easy, right from his teens.

Then he left behind scientific research and became a photographer. He documented drug addicts and prostitutes. He documents in a Guardian article how this affected his approach to religion and atheism, coming to see atheism as an intellectual luxury for the wealthy. It isn’t presented as a conversion story, but this is how the piece ends:

Soon I saw my atheism for what it is: an intellectual belief most accessible to those who have done well.

…

I want to go back to that 16-year-old self and tell him to shut up with the “see how clever I am attitude”. I want to tell him to appreciate how easy he had it, with a path out. A path to riches.

I also see Richard Dawkins differently. I see him as a grown up version of that 16-year-old kid, proud of being smart, unable to understand why anyone would believe or think differently from himself. I see a person so removed from humanity and so removed from the ambiguity of life that he finds himself judging those who think differently.

I see someone doing what he claims to hate in others. Preaching from a selfish vantage point.

Perhaps when you see where he started out from, you can see how weak his atheism was. He told one addict,

I am an atheist. I don’t believe in a God. I don’t think the world is only 5,000 years old, I don’t think Cain and Abel married their sisters!

Of course, plenty of Christians see good reason to interpret the early chapters of Genesis non-literally, and it doesn’t make them atheists. Rather, they recognise a different genre of literature.

However, read the article with interest to note what affects him.

The Spirituality Of Mission

Contemplation by Anya Quinn on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

“Christian life is not a life divided between times for action and times for contemplation. No. Real mission is a way of contemplation, and real contemplation is the core of mission.” ~ Adapted from Henri J.M. Nouwen

(Quoted by Miguel Labrador, American missionary in Ecuador, on Facebook)

Discipleship Or Decisions For Christ?

Discipleship by Brother Timothy on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Derek Vreeland argues that response to the Gospel involves decisions, but is not limited to one-off decisions, it is about a call to follow Jesus as a disciple. When we only preach the Gospel as a call to make a decision, we sell Jesus short.

He says that a discipleship-based message has these advantages:

• This “come and follow” approach sounds much more like an invite to a party than a high-pressure sales pitch to purchase a new car.
• This approach is much more about belonging to a community than making a personal and individual choice.
• This approach may not appeal to the masses, but we will make disciples from the few who see the power, position and authority of Jesus.

What do you think?

Christmas: The Slow, Radical Mission Of God

Kenyan pastor Oscar Muriu speaks to a mission conference about how the coming of Christ must be our model for mission, and yet it is so different from the ways we often try to ‘do mission’ as a quick, easy, painless fix:

Our Christmas Mission

Christmas Ornament by Zaimoku Woodpile on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

A very Happy Christmas to you. The Risen Lord told his disciples, ‘As the Father sent me, so I send you.’

But how did the Father send Jesus? Answer: ‘The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.’

That text is not just for Christmas Day, it informs our engagement in God’s mission all year round.

May the birth of Christ inspire us to share God’s love in the world.

The Incarnation And Mission In A Shopping Mall

Franciscan Friar by Jimmy Smith on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

Tomorrow, we celebrate the incarnation of God’s Son. Many Christians take the doctrine of the incarnation as an inspiration for mission – Jesus came into the world, and we must go into the world with the love of God, too, not waiting until others come to us in our church buildings.

Here is a group of Franciscan friars who did just that outside Macy’s department store in the Northgate Mall, Cincinatti, Ohio. You (and I) might not express Christian faith in the same style or with quite the same content, but is it still possible to take inspiration from what they did and translate it into other Christian traditions?

Ministry Among Those With Mental Illness

Depression please cut to the chase by Darcy Adelaide on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

More from Christena Cleveland, who wrote yesterday’s article. She recently published a guest post on her blog by psychotherapist Beccy Adams on how Christians might better embrace people with mental illnesses in the church.

At first, this might seem like an article about internal church affairs. But if we took these attitudes outside the church (as well as practising them inside), people might notice a loving difference in our lives.

Do you find Beccy Adams’ recommendations constructive?

Is Being Busy The Enemy Of Christian Mission?

Busy Feet by Geir Halvorsen on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

“If you want something done, ask a busy person.”

So goes the received wisdom. But might it be that busy people are those least likely to engage in Christian mission?

This piece by psychologist Christena Cleveland suggests that is true.

How might we be less busy and have more time to love our neighbours in the service of Christ?