Colourful Dreamer

Sam has posted a really interesting post on his blog. It would appear he takes a very different standpoint from me. But we are in fact very close. I am not advocating for making young people Anglican, but offering the richness of the Anglican tradition for the ongoing life of faith for young people. Michael Warren, an American Catholic Youth Ministry writer and teacher once said that the purpose of ministry among young people is to offer the tools and foundations they need to continue to grow all their lives. By going for what seems good for now, we risk leaving young people at greater risk of getting into their late 20's and 30's and discovering that the Christianity they have been offered simply fails to deal the issues and questions they are facing. Alan Jamieson has written a lot more about that is him books researching why so many people leave Charismatic, Evangelical and Pentecostal Churches. But, I don't think many people really know what their tradition is about or ...

Thanks to the young person who has just put up a post. Youth Yeah was for all the church, Each parish was invited to celebrate it as it chose to. most chose to do nothing. Each Dicoese was invited to celebrate as they chose to. i can make no comment other than that. Information and invitations for sent out for each of the five national and three tikanga events, including Forum, by me. I can make no comment as to what ahppened beyond that. I as constrained by what diocese do with that. I applaud the baptist church you go to. But the politics is still there, maybe just not so easy to see. Sadly, we are all human. And I am much more frustrated thta the role models are not offered you in you parish than I am about anything that we do at a Diocesan level. That is where we really have to lift our game. Why? because we are letting poeple like you down! But if you think I am being too harsh, fair enough. thanks

I am currently at a Block Course on New Testament Theology being taken by Professor Joel Green from the USA. Today we looked at Narrative Approach to doing Biblical Theology. What struck me was the statement that the task of the preacher and teacher is (Joel said this way better) to invite the hearers to have their imagination shaped by the biblical story. “The antidote to ignorance is not the amassing of facts, but the enlightenment that comes with a realignment with God’s ancient purpose." Instead of getting people to learn more about the bible, or using the bible to prove the point we are making, or to show people how to live a successful or Christian life (using 'appropriate' proof texts), what people really need is to have their imagination opened by the biblical story in such a way that they see the world and themselves differently, in line with the great Biblical Story of creation, redemption and new creation, and so live their lives differently. Part of that is th...

good comments, especially the last one, and well made. actaully, I thinkwhat Ben and his team did was great. But these are comments that I have made before on this blog, and I have made in lots of other settings. So my comment are less at the TWAYN event and are more generally based on my ongoing expereince of going to "Anglican Events" and my worry about what they are offered in their parishes, to be honest. I reiterate: " But it pains me to see young people offered such a small idea of what Christianity is all about." Why do I worry that so many speakers were non Anglicans. Well, because I beleive that we as Anglicans have alot to offer, but we don't. We invite others in instead. Each denomination offers a particular way of reading the bible, of seeing the world, of understanidng what it means to be chuch. None are better than others. We need them all. Which means, please Anglicans, stand up and offer what we have to offer. In the end, what is often offered yo...

I went on a youth camp over new years. ( This bit is new) It was overall a good camp. The young people who organised it did a really good job, and I had a good time all in all. While I will go on to question one of the speakers in particular, mostly the others were good. One used Nooma dvd's and another retold bible stories to great affect. But I want to make some comments about it that arise not only out of this event but also other events I have been on. They are observations of what we offer young people which arise out of the question, is what we offer young people at such events the best we can do? Original posting continues... I have to say the music wears me down. It is all about Jesus and me, hardly ever us. And when how to stay on the Christian journey is talked about it is in terms of my devotional life, and never about our life as a church, and even being part of a community. It is very individualistic, and is so deeply deeply flawed. And it is so not Anglican!!! Anglica...

2006 is over! What a year, and soooooo fast! Highlights for me include: Brazil in February. I so enjoyed the whole Brazilian thing. And we were so well looked after by Dessordi and Christina. Lastly, it was so good meeting up with the third Order members in Porto Alegre. That was almost my highlight of the whole trip. General Synod in May. having young people lead worship and the bible studies, and seeing the effect that had on some members who suddenly realised what was at stake with youth ministry. Doing my two papers, on on people like Athanasius and Augustine of Hippo, and teh other on Celtic Christianity. I loved them both. U2 in November! It was my spiriutal highlight of the decade really. Singing with 46,000 people, at times almost drowning out U2 itself. Being part of that. Seeing the show, which is awsome in itself, and just really really enjoying hearing and seeing U2 live. Getting the U2 book for Christmas. I love it. A Good year. May 2007 bring peace and all goodness to al...