I love youth work!

There - I've said it. It is now on the internet and must therefore be true.

I was at a meeting today for those involved in working with community residents and we had been asked why we had wanted to become involved in community issues. My answer was that I wanted to be involved in helping with issues on the estate but even as I was saying this I knew I could simplify things down to my love for youth work.

Until recently, I have been involved in streetwork in Selby but it didn't work out for various reasons. So I was surprised that I feel so strongly about it today.

I cannot understand when people see children from broken families, eating sausage rolls for breakfast, their hearts go out to them. But when those children grow up to be difficult teens all Joe Public want to do is to slap on an ASBO.

Young people are marginalised today and the future of our communities depend on their reintegration to society. But for me, I am most motivated by the fact Jesus moved among and loved the marginalised. And that is why I love youth work.

Two views on the face of ministry.

I've just read a couple of quotes from Christians who give an interesting juxtaposition on the face that leaders present in ministry:

'Indeed some people I am certain expose more about themselves online than they really ought to.I've recently read three statements on a social networking site all of which purported to tell us how a particular person was feeling. How are they feeling? Suffice to say that the comments don't appear to be the sort one would expect to hear from a future minister'

Compare with the following:

'Stop editing out the mistakes, flaws and imperfections... Let others see that the church is not full of dazzling people, but rather ordinary people with dazzling stories about Jesus'

Which would we like to be and which would we like to see?

Cool video.

I love seeing a video and knowing that one day I will find a use for it.

Spot the Difference Competition.

Look very carefully. Take your time. Click on them to zoom in to make it easier for yourself. If you can spot any differences please post them below. The winner will receive several lifetimes' supply of woodchip.

I'm not one to be grateful for deforestation but in this case I am glad that these trees have been removed from our hall. They block out light, roosting birds have created problems with noise, mess and smell, and the trees have now encroached into the building resulting in structural problems. Good questions to ask would be why were the trees planted there in the first place and why were they not kept to an appropriate size as they grew? Don't know the answers only to say it happened before the SA owned the building.

These trees stand (or used to stand) as a metphor for much of what is wrong with the church. The need for radical surgery now is due to a lack of husbandry in times gone by. We need to look at the organic nature of the kingdom and develope a healthier attitude to pruning. Paula and I are so grateful that the corps programme in Selby had been reduced before we had arrived to a single Sunday meeting, the rest being pared back to allow us a fresh start. We hope that we have the honesty to keep looking at what we are doing and be prepared to take out the pruning shears in the future when appropriate.

Lessons from the Tuesday Kitchen - Lesson 3

Re-define 'homeless'.

Most people think of someone who is homeless as a tramp who sleeps in a cardboard box or under a park bench. Think again. In an age when councils have obligations to house people, relationship breakdowns and the general chaos of a fragmented society we look to see what the needs of now are. "Sofa surfers" stay a few days sleeping on the couch of anyone who will let them, often being turfed out at night. Young people may find a place in a hostel but without cooking facilities. Those in temporary B&B have limited use of a kitchen, if at all. Many on the margins have never cooked a proper meal and don't know where to start once their circumstances have changed. The need is more than a bed and a roof and, through the Tuesday Kitchen, we respond as best we can. Here are our guidelines:

• Those that come are not guests, clients or service users nor are they labelled 'poor, needy, homeless. Our first response is not distrust. They are friends.
• We don't pry into their lives, past or present. We are happy to listen when they want to talk. From there we discover about other needs: clothes, alcohol problems, family strife.
• We sit and eat with them. We are not a cafe, we do not dole out food. These are our friends. We sit with them and chat and share a meal. We didn't to begin with but Paula said that Jesus did - his wisdom is now apparent (as is hers!).

Neither are we stupid and gullible. We meet the need when we feel it is genuine and, yes, sometimes we get bitten by it. But I will be happier to hear Jesus say to me "You gave me too much" than "You gave me too little!"

Ricky came to us from the local youth refuge. He was very suspicious wanting to know why we were making notes of names (just so that we know who we have had a chat to), talking very little, peeking out from behind his mop of hair. But I remember the day we served roast chicken, veg and stuffing. He looked up, his face glowing as he said "Stuffing! I can't remember the last time I had stuffing" and he tucked in. For him, this was a little bit of home, perhaps of a happier time. We are glad that we could recreate something of that sense of belonging for him. Ricky has moved on, we wish him well, and we know he will remember his time at The Salvation Army and the people who try to live out a little bit of the Kingdom.

The Shack

I have just finished reading The Shack by William Young, a book which has been drawing a lot of attention recently from the Christian and secular world. It is set in America and is the story of a father who has a unique encounter with God following the murder of his young daughter.

Firstly, I need to confess that I was probably not in the right frame of mind to read this as I had heard mixed comments about it and I jumped at its faults, with hindsight, a bit too quickly. That said, there are things to criticise about it; the writing style is, at times, clunky and cliched; there is a proponderance on "personal salvation"; some major issues are dealt with too quickly, glossing over them without real depth or emotion. However, its worth the read for a number of reasons.

It is one of the few Christian books which has appeared in the high street books shops like Borders and WH Smiths, ending the year in The Times top 10 paperback bestsellers list. It offers a fresh approach in considering the Trinity beyond the water/ice/steam model, conversing with God, faith being relationship based. Its a story, and people like stories.

Worth the read.

Happy New Year!

In 2008 I took up golf and, coincidentally, swearing.
In 2009 I think I'm going to give up golf.