If we’re all made in the image of God, then we must be creative to some extent. What form of creativity do you use to reflect this image, and to bring glory to God and to love the world?

So Laurie already blogged about how our smallgroup of 7 regular attendees now has its 5th blogger, with potentially a 6th in the wings. The latest addition, the state that I am in, is a discussion of faith, hope and music. A great writer, thinker, drummer and creative, you’ll enjoy this blog I’m sure. Sort of Nick Hornby and High Fidelity, crossed with Rob Bell and a bit of eco-warrior (and maybe a token nod to Driscoll lol). Anyway, I’m looking forward to it - welcome TSTIAI. We joined our group of new friends at small group a while back, and we hoped for a doinglifetogether sort of group of friends, but who would have thought those conversations would spread to blogs? Each person is so different, and has a different story and a different journey. But we all love Jesus, we all love eating, and we all hope for more to life than this.

Musings of a koala

Bring on the joy

New life from old

the state that I am in

and maybe just maybe we’ll get ferrytail ……

Last night we were discussing Second Life and how some university lecturers lecture in it. How long until we have a housegroup meeting there? Virtual communion anyone?

Was listening to a great (brilliant?) podcast by Larry Brilliant who heads google.org, the philanthropy arm of Google (well worth listening to, it’s a Stanford Technology Ventures podcast). He talks of how they decided what projects/causes to support, and highlights the 5 they chose (e.g. early warning systems for new diseases, renewable technology cheaper than coal). And it made me wonder about the big 5 causes I would argue for. What is the most unjust situation in the world today?

It strikes me that many of the injustices in the world can be found in the continent of Africa.

• After abandoning the country at the end of imperialism, the European countries have effectively allowed Genocide to occur in both Rwanda and Sudan, and arguably mass torture, beatings and fear in Zimbabwe. South Africa has largely been abandoned post apartheid, Somalia was totally abandoned and countries like Mauritania and Nigeria are only seen as attractive for oil.
• European trade standards require African countries to be open to European companies, but fail to offer reciprocal trading rights. Excessive tariffs also mean trade remains unfair. The US is little better in this regard with significant trade barriers.
• Debt relief. Failure. Need we say more?
• AIDS is killing millions, 1.6m in 2007 (that’s a holocaust every 4 years if I can use that comparison). Around 22.5m people are estimated to have HIV in sub-saharan Africa. In South Africa and Zambia it is believed that 15-20% of ALL adults are infected with HIV. Imagine the orphans that are going to be created as these adults die off. Whilst President Bush, the G8 and the Gates Foundation have committed large amounts of capital, the problem is still massive.
• And global warming. and a host of countries that remain far from democracy and human rights.

There are stories of hope, such as at TED Africa. Mostly I take away the following:

• A feeling of ignorance as to what’s really going on and not knowing where to start looking
• A sense of powerlessness to help
• A wave of meaningless at the scale of the numbers
• A confusion as to how to act and to how to pray

What do you see as the most unjust things in the world today?

So is there any reason why we don’t celebrate communion as a meal? Could it be bread AND ham and cheese, and orange juice or milk instead of wine? Presumably the point is that we remember the meaning of the bread (body broken for you) and liquid (blood poured out for you).

Can you help me out?

Authenticity, integrity, truth. All words that are bandied about but have lost a lot of meaning? Or words that get you going and make you excited? I suspect for many it is the former rather than the latter. Through this blog I’ve tried to become increasingly honest (but am still far from giving a true picture of the many aspects of me, including much of my brokenness which I hide) and I remember back to the days when I blogged under a pseudonym. However, what about in the “real world”, wherever that is? (btw, when there’s 90m people blogging, isn’t that real?)

To be a person of faith and authenticity, we have to not only endeavour to live a life consistent with our beliefs, but also be able and willing to articulate what we believe in. Not in a comdemning or judgemental way (for He did not some to condemn the world but to save it), but instead in a way that explains, that introduces, that opens dialogue. Many in emerging church circles are walking away from the 2 ways to live type articulation of the good news, the declaration of a thesis and the expectation that this will cause people to fall on their knees. The problem with that walk is that it is not being replaced by anything and thus we are scared to speak of who we believe in, for fear of being condemned.

So maybe we need a reminder, as I’ve had in recent days, that if we fail to speak of the reason for the hope that we have, then that hope will not make sense. The way of life will not make sense. We don’t tell people of Jesus to ensure that they convert, but rather in response to questions and in normal convcersation. Because it’s inauthentic to live in one way but fail to speak of why. Just as it’s inauthentic to speak of Jesus as Lord but to live in a way inconsistent with that.

Therefore I’d argue that if we are being authentic, it’s likely that our life will involve many “natural” discussions of our faith and belief with people of other faiths and beliefs.

Whilst in India, our team studied through the beatitudes in Matthew 5 (the “BE ATTITUDES”?) and we were reminded of much about Jesus:

• Jesus lived in a time where the Jews were under a foreign army and a foreign empire.
• Jesus was strategic in leading His ministry and took time out to teach his close leaders.
• Sometimes by sitting on a mountain looking at the crowds from afar you can gain perspective
• Although Jesus cares for the rich, powerful and comfortable, that’s not why He cares for them. Jesus needed to talk 9 times to the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourner compared to every one He spoke to the others so that He could show that the balance of the world needed to be redressed.
• People find the blessing as they turn to God in their mourning, in their lowliness, in their meekness. Some of that comes as God’s kingdom comes partially now, but will come in full in due course.
• We were reminded that God’s kingdom is now, but not now. It’s here in part and one day will be complete. Our call is to build that kingdom.
• We were reminded that we should hunger and thirst for righteousness, both in holiness and rightness with God, but also in justice and peace and mercy in the world. Jesus is our righteousness but should also be passionate about this.
• Jesus brings an upside down kingdom. It was counter cultural then in the day of military foreign empire, and it’s counter cultural now in the day of a consumer, self, secular empire.
• Jesus brings true hope.

Jesus is the author and perfector, and He gave us these words so that we might live in accordance with them. He’s calling us to build His kingdom here on earth and to constantly rethink what that means for our attitudes, our spending, our use of all our resources, our relationships, our worship, our purpose. It’s easy to see how the kingdom of God will transform India. Have we, have I, got so comfortable we think that we are already living in the fulness of the kingdom? I find great hope in the kingdom of God, along with the certainty that one day it will be complete when Jesus returns. Where’s your hope?

Back home, all safe and sound. Had a great trip back, and starting to pull a few thoughts together. Here’s a snapshot of a few, and some comments about my blog. I’ll expand on India in due course. Having understood the persecution side of India a bit better, I’m going back to previous posts and deleting the names of the places we went to. Apologies if this means those posts appear in your readers again, nothing else will change.

• Every number in India is massive. One state has 60m people in it. One region of that state has one church in 250km.
• India has no use of millions and billions, instead it has lakh (100,000) and crore (100 lakh, or 10m)
• Monsoon has been really poor this year in many areas and so fields are dry and animals will die. I felt really guilty looking at how much water was in the bath last night.
• A KFC meal costs a days wages. They have guards on the door to ensure people don’t come in and cause hassle.
• $2.50 (£1.25) is considered a good wage. The Government has set the poverty defintion at <$2 per day, which would allow 1 meal for a family of four. Most families are significantly bigger than that.
• The caste system, whilst outlawed, is massively practised and can be seen by browsing the Hindu matrimonial requests in the papers, where it is set out by caste. Dalits (the Untouchables) are excluded from schools, jobs, colleges, loans etc.
• There is massive hope in India amongst the people we met, and this was really encouraging. Hope that the kids might experience a different future, hope that the women would be empowered economically and skills and start to make a real difference, hope that the church can bring God’s kingdom in India by holistic incarnational ministry, hope that the voice of the people is being heard and hope that God is moving.
• Patience and faith was much in evidence. I met one person who’d worked in three very poor villages for 12 years as a church planter. 
• Much of the conversations we have are totally irrelevant in India. When you are trying to survive, whether or not to buy fair trade is not a debate you have.
• Amazing generosity, welcome and hospitality was shown to us by locals.
• Hinduism is so dominant in all aspects of society, making the Vatican look secular. False gods, idols and token worshipping were everywhere. Laws preventing conversion to Christianity are still in force and Christians are still beaten and houses burnt down.
• There is a massive need for training and funds.
• The organisation we went with is making a difference and we came back encouraged by their faith, their hope and the way in which they are building communities all over India to bring hope and the love of God.

Before I went I was contemplating what to do with this blog. I’ve debated this and feel that I want to continue, but in some way make it more structured. Thus to try and address that, I’m going to try and follow the headings from Exiles (tailored slightly) and write on each area daily. They are as follows:

• Authenticity & Purpose
• Community & Hospitality
• Justice and Work
• Creation and Celebrating the good
• Standing with the persecuted
• Worship
• Jesus and Sabbath

I won’t be writing as much about my work on this blog, as we’ll have a separate blog for the new business. Hopefully this structure will lead to more action, and more consistency and better dialogue. As ever, thanks for your participation, as it’s a pretty dull place to be without comments!

 Thanks for all the kind words, prayers and banter. Team is now on the mend, we fly back tomorrow and arrive back in Edinburgh on Sunday.

One of the books I’ve been re-reading whilst here is Mike Frost’s Exiles. He talks of when a bunch of Christians becomes a church and defines it as follows:

• Trinitarian in theology
• Covenantal in expression
• Catholic in orientation
• Missional in intention

I really find this helpful, and very liberating. What do you think of it? (You’ve had too much light hearted banter this week so just trying to raise your game…..)

And if the above holds true, can a business be a church? Can a startup be a church plant?

So day how many? not sure but am now in hyderabad well actually close by in another tow n/city thing and in an internet cafe where the keys are rubbed off so can’t rea;;y type properly! excuse the spelling as a result.

Trip so far?

- great flights out here

- awesome guide, no-one got sick in our first 3 days, 6 of team of 8 are really sick today, seems like a bug so hopefuly nt too serious.

- been reminded of the “super”natural power of God and wonder why it’s easier for Christians here to throw themselves at the mercy of God but we just hang around in our wisdom and self-confidence. or at least I do. So been challenged by that and some of the stories and testimonies.

- Indian people are friendly but we get stared at a lot as white people, as well as getting asked for photos. people point and laugh at us.

- have been safe to date and our contacts here are awesome, could not have done it without them.

- feels like we’ve been here for months but it’s only 4 days really. Heat is very tiring, and so is travelling.

- Not so obvious how to apply what we have seen and how we can link in. I think I was a bit naive thinking we could come here and immediately see how we can add value and help in the long term. feel quite inadeqaute.

- would value your prayers for strength, health and healing for those who are sick, continued unity, strength and safety and strength!

Thanks for all the comments on the blog (oh and Marla the disclaimer is still fine as I haven’t left yet! :-)….but thanks)

Things have been a bit heavy round here (thanks for the debate) so lets change tack a bit, and enjoy some light relief. Please provide me with:

1. Best song of all time
2. Best film of all time
3. Best joke of all time
4. Best Scottish invention
5. Best book of all time (outside of the bible)