What are we seeking ? Does it count for anything ?

One of the great peculiarities of our age is the inverted hierarchy of what is seen as most valuable. When Paul wrote 1 Cor 1 he lived in an age and context which sought wisdom. When the great Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle explored, they did so with an open mind. Their motivation to explore the universe scientifically was not simply motivated by making life easier for ourselves, the reductionist process that we would promote today (how to find better micro-materials for EV car batteries, what will make my TV / communication device or processing chip thinner and faster.) In fact they saw that any discoveries of component matter and basic intrinsic life in the cosmos had much wider implications, bigger than we can begin to understand, moral implications, that our universe and natural order has implications for our relationships, society, the respect of humanity and societal order. Yet this kind of wisdom (bigger view) sought so long ago seems a cosmos away from our world this Christmas. Our world leaders (elected by us) don't seem to show such wisdom. The prevailing culture is to sacrifice the big picture for the small win and optics of personal preference, profit, and perspective. Yet there is a desire in even the most cynical atheist and materialist this Christmas to want more. Regardless of our Theist or Materialist starting point, every human being born has an inner desire to live for purpose, to do something more than take home a salary only to one day see our lives have no more significance than being concluded to a meaningless extinction. We all desire order, ultimate wisdom, peace. 

This inverted hierarchy, (our loss of true open mindedness) and relegation of what is really important means that today we live without wisdom. For example, life is so fast paced in our technological age that people often value speed and expediency over doing a thorough and effective job for the long term. It seems the opposite of what my grandfather taught me from what he had learned down the mine at 14... "You only need to do it once if you do it properly." He learned that as a slight lad, crawling into micro spaces to place explosives in the bottom of the mine. In that small space, doing it right mattered, not just for him but for everyone both above and below ground. It was a huge weight on young shoulders, the responsibility for families, a society, a generation. 

 I wonder how this kind of thinking and wisdom would change for example the peculiar urgency to make a deal between Russia and Ukraine before Christmas, at any cost. Where does this deadline elevated to the place of supreme importance come from? What matters more, doing it quickly or doing something good for the wellbeing of people ? Who does it consider, what consequences does it carry, what weights and wisdoms are valued? Maybe this discussion fits into this category, of not thinking about the long term results for the sake of a short term fix. Maybe a mistake could have larger  and more lasting explosive consequences than considered ? Maybe the motivations are not the true reality of peoples lives, relationships, the order of society on the ground ? Details matter. Advice matters, as does the humility to listen and learn about context. Reducing things to a simplistic agenda of your own making is not wisdom. Blocking out advisers who tell you what you don't want to hear is not wisdom. 

True order, peace and wisdom on earth this Christmas needs some work. 

Where should we start ?

People matter more than prizes.

 Simultaneously two things started scrolling on my feed yesterday. The dreadful but expected news of further victims found under the rubble in Ternopil, and the debate about what President Trump was really trying to achieve by offending Europe and pleasing Putin. 

In reality we have to work on certainties and absolutes. There is no shortage of rhetoric coming from the White House, but what of substance has been achieved? I even read an article from a Russian blogger who suggests that one of the biggest risks to Russia's future now is that Trump is going too far in his own direction that his overstepping of hismelf  makes his position unsustainable in the long term, and Russia might be losing a friend. Some political commentators are already saying the "mid-terms" may see a rapid change in direction of USA policy because of the disconect with a majority American public which has some sympathy for Ukraine. Add to that his inability to "simply end the war" in 24 hours. On the ground with USA friends I hear the same thing, a sense that results must follow rhetoric. Despite the promise, income tax will not disappear due to tariffs, and contrary to the spin UK cities are safer places to live in than American ones. The absolutes speak for themselves. 

PROFIT, POWER OR PEOPLE ? 

A number of military leaders of gravitas also noted that "The 2025 National Security Strategy" was in fact a political statement rather than a strategic / military document. Reasons of what had led to this shift cited the Trump team's deep suspicion of deep state, structure,  and military officials. Rather than building policy on facts, figures, wisdom, knowledge and experienced practitioners on the military stage, the present administration is building a political case for what Trump wants for his America. Before we even consder whether it has the right people on the team to deliver it, the big question is... What really motivates the current White House ?

Motivations to live for him and serve His mission.

 Number 1: Humility

Those who live close to Christ, see, know, and grow in true humility, a humility which accepts a powerlessness and growingly small world significance in order to further the missional, loving purposes of God in his redemption and grace. 

 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself...

The humility which comes from knowing Christ starts with wonder. The great mystery of Christ's spectral shift and incomparable, incongruous  incarnation relegation leaves no other appropriate response than breathless appreciation. He did it for us. By choice when we chose the rejection of self adulation, limit our reputation, confine our sphere of influence, become liberated with self forgetfulness in response to Christ's love for us, the great paradox is that in God's purposes is that we grow in eternal usefulness. 

Humility is a choice, which becomes a Spirit encouraged habit as we grow in Christ each day;, reading His word, meditating on Him, and letting our hearts, instincts and desires be ruled by Him not ourselves. 

Humility is active, going to the lost and broken, choosing to engage with the pain of others, taking on the role of intercession for things which are ours not by legal right but by missional motivations of grace. 

Humility has a path of successive development. Choosing to go lower for Christ is not solved or attained by a single step, but a succession of decisions whereby each is harder than the last. Biblical humility means that we can end up in a place which is unrecognisable from where we started. 

God's path of humility always has purpose. 

After true humility before God there is always glory. In Christ we see that nothing is wasted, all of God's purposes and promises are Yes and Amen. Glorification is certain for those who walk the path. Those who follow are never fools or made fools of by God. His certainty is that path of humility leads us to greater fruitfulness, ultimate influence and impact in the spiritual realm. The prayers of the righteous are effective, the unseen acts of the humble are seen by Him. This is all that counts. 

Love Christ in humility for all He has done for us, Walk successively out of obedience, not looking back to where you have come from, but with eyes fixed on (him not the gaze of others) press on to the goal of pleasing Christ and showing Him until we are with Him. Love others in humility by repenting of pride and serving the missional purposes of God's grace in others, one step at a time. Cover your life and those around you in prayerful dependence on the only one who makes all things fruitful. He is able...

Matthew 23:10

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, 

and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

No one and nothing compares to JESUS.

It is a joy to be home after travel. In God's goodness He gives time to reflect. My enduring reflection from the last few weeks is that nothing compares to the glory of our Saviour, His incarnation and love for us. Meeting friends from different religions on the journey I was struck by three distinctives, the incomrable uniqueness of Jesus. 

1. Our God is relational and has not only an extraordinary eternal plan to enable us to reconnect with Him, but goes to unfathomable lengths to execute that plan in love to secure for us an eternal security and reality in that relationship which can never be broken.

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39

3 refreshing dynamics from the baby church here in frontier mission.

 Hi Friends,

Thanks for your prayers. These last couple of days I have been with the frontier church in a situation of less than 0.1% Christian. In fact that figure is a gross over optimistic simplification of this exact context. Preaching this Sunday and sharing with friends in small groups, I sense and see God's presence working in a very vital and strategic way amongst every individual and collectively as a church family.  His word is powerfully active here. This church is not impressive by human evaluation, but astoundingly beautiful in what God is doing. 

 I am reminded of the healthiness of elementary or "bare bones" church, when we percolate church down to essential biblical and vital characteristics and lose the trappings of our cultural and schismatic preferences. Things are so much more dynamic here, everything is running at a faster rate, the ryhthm of His heart is easily heard. Here are some observations from this frontier context that I think larger more (program driven) established churches could reset to as first (ACTS 2:42-47) principles.

1. Church is family. In a culture where non Christian or even anti-Christian principles dominate, the distinction of being part of Christ's family changes everything. Clear association is a distinctive of trusting and maturing in Christ. We cannot have one foot in each world when both are worlds apart. In our Western culture, many fudge compromise because the church has I fear been sanitised and become less distinctive, less abrasive, less offensive, less clear, more synchronistic. When the believers here call each other "brother" or "sister" it means something. It means we will face the consequences together regardless of their reality. We will bear burdens together, regardless of what it costs us.  We will live in each other's pockets together, learn to be content together (Phil 4:11-13) in good and bad times. This is healthy church, not easy church. "Belonging" matters. When Church is a priceless treasure to us, our comittment to each other is costly. I wish it meant more in some Western churches. 

Thank you for your prayers

Friends and those who have been so good to me over the last few days, 

Thanks so much for your prayers and your love! 

Over the internet, not everything can be, or should be communicated. 

Some will know that I’ve been in Ukraine these last few days, and yes Ternopil Oblast, when the attacks came last Wednesday. A week on, my heart is profoundly moved by the way God is using the churches, our partners and projects at such a critical time. I know I am a stuck record, but what we are called to and our new start projects are never about projects, always about people. God is blessing these profoundly. 

Friends who have been widowed, ophaned,  processing trauma and grieving need relationship, true faithful long term friendship and they need Jesus Christ. This is why we do everything through local churches and long term partners who have been and are dug in for the long haul. In the process of helping them on that journey many friends in this situation also have great practical need, for todays’ food, bed, and a plan of where next they will live and start again from zero. I was with countless folks in their 70’s and 80’s who having lost their homes, families and everything in the East are now starting again, afresh. I am so encouraged by both our longstanding and new younger partners who are being so used of God. Their compassion, resillience, practical adaptability and truth filled witness of integrity under great pressure is a great commendation of the gospel. When people encounter the love of Christ in His church (John 13:35) it makes a profound radical difference in our world. Many have lost so much but found Jesus Christ, certain eternal hope. 

I had the privilege of being with those grieving and working on the ground.  I am not unfamiliar  to chaplain ministry amidst such a stark backdrop of tragedy and trauma, but this was utterly unique. My heart grieved in so many dimensions for those without hope. 

A new generation out of the ashes ?

 Sincere apologies for the delay in update. The Last 24 hours have been non-stop. Sunday morning was such a tonic. The church much fuller than last time was bursting with life, and a real sense of the presence of God. Sometimes things just seem orchestrated like a symphony. Present were those there for the first time, military from the frontline in recovery from injury after exceptional bravery, families in need of a word from the Lord and representatives of a nation who undoubtedly ask big questions with earnest seriousness. The word of God has all these things prepared. As we looked at Hannah and the big picture view of a God who hears our cry, we saw Christ the one who makes sense of all suffering, and has a bigger plan for us in his grace. In such a context the holiness and justice of God is a joy to preach. It is a great comfort to those who have been suffering at the hands of a tyrant to know that he will face God.