Look back in wonder

I'm writing this on New Year's Eve. As a good Scot that means I've been desperately tidying up ready for Hogmanay (tidying being something I do very little of on the other 364 days!). I'm not planning any New Year's resolutions - although I can tell you a grand way to keep them, if you're interested (see below).* Instead of looking ahead to my soon-to-be-broken and wildly unrealistic resolutions (anything involving a tidy flat or desk), I'd rather look back on the never-broken faithfulness of our wonderful Lord God. In our last church homegroup meeting of 2007, we had a prayer time where it was suggested that we each thank God for one thing during the past year. We prayed... and prayed... and prayed... No one was able to restrict themselves to just one thing - there was SO much to thank God for! For myself, one of the highlights was the time spent with Christian brothers and sisters in South Africa - being thrilled by their enthusiasm for serving God, and encouraged by their faithfulness to Him. Looking further back, I was privileged during the travels on my sabbattical to meet many Godly people - separated by thousands of miles, but joined by a mutual trust in the Lord Jesus. Many of them are also joined by a common desire to teach God's Word faithfully to children and young people. My prayer for them, and for you, and for myself, is that we will all be able to look back in wonder as we see how God has worked in the lives of the young people we serve, and then look forward in trust to all that He will do in the coming year.

Happy New Year to you all!

* I once resolved to read the whole Bible during the year. I then admitted this resolution to 400 people at an all-age service, and asked them to check up on me. I can confirm that this is a very effective way to stick to a resolution!!

'Such a great guy'

Recently I have been creating lists galore in preparation for our next Bible-Centred Youthworker Conference in January. As I've poured over the names of those coming - 130 so far - I've caught myself thinking (and sometimes saying out loud!), 'Oh, he's such a great guy', 'She's so lovely', 'He's a terrific bloke', 'He's so nice', 'I'm so pleased she's coming back' and so on... I got to the end of the list of 130 and realised that I'd thought something nice about every one of them. This isn't because I'm a sweet person who loves everyone (!), but because the children's and youth workers I've got to know over the past few years are such a terrific bunch. So, if you're one of them, thank you - it's a joy and privilege to know you.

Puzzled by Pullman?

I haven't seen the film yet, and it's years since I read the book - but I HAVE already had a number of circular emails from concerned Christians recommending boycotting 'The Golden Compass'. I'm always wary of mass boycotts. It's true that there are some books and films whose content means we want to warn our young people against them - but given that most of our children and young people are likely to be swept up in the razzmatazz of this film, aren't we better to engage with the issues rather than avoid them? There is a very helpful article on this in the December issue of Youthwork magazine, written by Dr Mark Stibbe (pages 8 & 9). It should soon be possible to get a copy of 'How Golden is Pullman's Compass?' from Mark Stibbe's website. If it's anything like his article, this talk should be good - I'm certainly planning to hear it as soon as it's available.

Is Christmas about Christ?

In a Sunday Telegraph survey of 100 schools, only one in five is opting to stage some kind of nativity play. One in three will stage a religion-free Christmas play or have no event at all. Why? 'To avoid upsetting pupils (and parents?) of other faiths.' The Telegraph article seemed quite balanced to me - you can read it here.

It's the readers comments about it I found fascinating:

• In 78 added comments, only three mention 'Christ' (and one of those is as a swear word!) and none mention 'Jesus'
• Most people assume that scrapping school nativity plays is an attack - but not on Christian belief. They see it as an attack on our national identity.
• Many of the writers assume that it is people of other faiths who are pushing to get nativity plays banned - and sadly some go on to say that these 'immigrants' should go back to their own countries and stop interfering in ours.
• The assumption made by nearly all is that the nativity play is all about tradition.

Where does this leave us, as we aim to teach the Bible's fantastic message about Jesus this Christmas? Since most people believe that we should continue to have nativity plays, let's grab that opportunity in any way we can - and then use it to help them see that the Christmas story isn't about tradition, it's about Jesus Christ, our wonderful, loving, rescuing King.

Teaching Narrative (again...)

I was discussing Bible narrative with a college lecturer at the weekend, and he told me his current approach. He gets his audience into a story by directing them to the narrator and his art:

'Can you see how he has grabbed their attention by making a shocking opening statement?'
'Notice how the storyteller is using his surroundings as pictures for his story.'
'Did you spot the cliff-hanger at the beginning? Now the audience will be hanging on every word waiting to see what happens next...'

This approach would be too complex for younger children, who need a simple, clear story. But for older children and teens this can be an engaging way to get them into the passage. It also helps them to see that the Bible writers chose which narrative to include, where to put it and how to tell it - all great clues pointing to the main point they are making.

The Harry Potter Effect

A few years ago a flurry of books came out giving a Christian response to Harry Potter. Some were extreme. Others lacked depth. Having read a few, I was most convinced by 'A closer look at Harry Potter' by John Houghton. He gave by far the most balanced and biblical view of the four books that had been written at that point. Now that the series of seven is complete, plus five films so far, John Houghton has taken a closer look at the complete series. Here are two quotes from his latest book, 'The Harry Potter effect':

'Harry Potter's world, while outwardly set in the context of Greco-Roman medieval paganism, is modern. It is important to understand this both in terms of the wizarding society and the spells that they perform, and that is why to suggest that Rowling is seducing children into the occult is so misleading. A much more powerful argument would be to suggest that, if anything, she is leading them into a humanistic self-reliance on their own choices, exercise of will, and technological ability - in short, a life that has neither recognition of God nor his grace.' (p84)

'As cultural gatekeepers we must know when to exercise caution and when to make an outright ban. Some material will never be appropriate because it is implicitly evil in intent and in content. Other material may depend upon the age and sensibility of the individual child. The fact that something is considered to be entertaining or 'everyone's reading it' is not in itself a sufficient justification for letting children participate.' (p114)

Do you consider yourself a 'cultural gatekeeper' for the children and young people in your care? Do you want to help their parents think through these issues and apply them biblically? If so, this book will stretch your thinking way beyond simple concerns about glamourising witches and magic. You may not agree with everything it says, but it will help you see the underlying issues and think through whether or not they need addressing in your group, family or church.

'The Harry Potter effect' by John Houghton is published by David C Cook. ISBN: 978-1-842913-62-8

Image imagination

I'm currently reading John Houghton's newly revised book about the Harry Potter series. More on that when I've finished it - but I was struck by a comment John makes early on. While discussing the concern some Christians feels about the use of imagination, he points out that we are made 'in the image of an imaginative God'. That got me thinking...

We only need to explore our world a little to see the exuberance of God's imagination at work. (How else can you explain the duck billed platypus? Or the fact that we've been given five senses to experience our world through?) I'm so grateful that our world reflects the ingenuity of our Creator. But what does it mean for US to reflect His imaginative nature? If we are designed to be imaginative - and so are the young people we work with - what impact does that have on what we do with them? CS Lewis imagined Narnia, and then used it to portray some aspects of Christian truth. Most of us don't have a series of best-selling books hiding away inside us* - but maybe there are other ways, which we haven't tried yet, of using our imagination to faithfully teach God's living Word?

* If I'm wrong, and you do have a series of best-selling books hovering in your head, please let me know!

Christian counter-culture

I was chatting to someone in the summer about shopping for clothes. (A favourite subject for us girls!) She'd been spending her birthday money in Next and Gap, and was dressed head-to-toe in her new purchases. Even her bag was new (and seriously gorgeous!). But before you blokes switch off completely from this exceptionally girly blog, let me point out the sting in the tail. The girl I was chatting to was six - and the birthday money from her Granny was £150.

This same girl - a regular member of a Sunday morning church group - has recently told her leaders that she no longer believes in God. I can't help wondering if the two are connected. When a six-year-old girl is given £150 to spend on clothes, what 'need' does she have of God? When she comes from a loving family, has a full network of friends, and is in the top section of her class at school, how is she to understand that she is actually helpless and hopeless unless she puts her trust in Jesus?

Those of us who work with younger children constantly face this challenge - how do we help children to understand spiritual truth in concrete terms they can relate to? Especially when the culture that surrounds them seems to show, in such tangible ways, the exact opposite. Yes, we need to teach God's Word faithfully. Yes, we need to put the time into finding ways to illustrate God's truth that will be clear and understandable to those we teach. But, whatever age we work with, we cannot change a young person's heart. So we also need to pray for the Holy Spirit to open up their hearts to their real need, and to open their eyes to see beyond the culture that surrounds them.

The Star Trek solution

It's no secret that I'm a bit of a Star Trek fan (but don't worry - I've never attended a convention, and I don't speak much Klingon.) Usually, if a Star Trek episode gets my Christian radar fizzing it's because of its humanist worldview (Gene Rodenbery based the whole franchise on humanist principles). But this weekend I was watching an Enterprise DVD which left me shouting quite loudly at the screen...

(Quick summary of plot needed here - sorry!) In Season 3 of Enterprise, we see Captain Archer on a long mission to save earth from total destruction. In his need to 'do whatever it takes' to save the planet we watch him sacrifice his principles one after another. His wide-eyed naivety at captaining the first ever star ship is replaced by a hard ruthlessness as he fights, cheats and even tortures his way to success. Interesting to watch - and probably quite fun to act. At the beginning of Season 4, Archer is back on the newly saved earth, but struggling to come to terms with the way he achieved his mission. He hasn't lived up to his own principles. He can't reconcile himself to what he has become, and neither can he change himself back to who he was. This inner turmoil is producing emotions he can't control, and bursting out in self-destructive acts.

In Christian terms, Archer has come face-to-face with his own sinfulness. And his inability to do anything about it. Fascinating. How was a humanistic show going to handle this? Usually, the starting premise is that human beings have it within themselves to solve their problems - but Archer seemed to be failing on that one. So... How did it end? (This is going to be the spoiler - so don't read on if you're now desperate to watch the show!)

Archer went mountain climbing. (To find the hidden strength within himself? - if so, it didn't work.) But he wasn't alone. Another starship captain joined him - a woman. Archer is angry. Archer is having nightmares. Archer can't solve his problems. Until... He and she sleep together at the top of the mountain. And suddenly everything is allright! It was just a one-mountain fling - no permanent relationship here - but it has wiped away all of Archer's problems.

I know I shouldn't have been shocked. This is a common worldview for many, of course. But this was STAR TREK!! It left me wanting to talk to about it (hence this blog). And wanting to use it as a discussion starter. It's not appropriate for my current group (they're 5-8s!), but I'd love to discuss this with a group of teens: What impact does our sinful nature have on us? What solutions does the world offer? What does the gospel of grace say? You and I may not have tortured anyone in a bid to save our planet - but what joy to know that our own sinfulness has been wiped clean, totally forgiven, by our wonderful, gracious Lord. And surely we want our young people to know this joy too.

Seeker-friendly or seeker-focused?

I was talking to a minister recently about his approach to preaching. He knows there will always be non-Christians at the morning service, so he keeps them in mind when preparing. His view is that these non-believers won't 'get it' - ie: they won't grasp the gospel of grace in one hearing - but that everything they hear must be understandable. However, the morning service is also when the church comes together to thank and praise God and learn together from His Word. For that reason, this minister plans talks and services that are 'seeker-friendly' but not 'seeker-focused'.

This got me thinking about our children's and youth groups. Are they seeker-focused - with an opportunity to 'pray the prayer' every week or so? Or seeker-friendly, but with plenty of teaching for the believers too? If your group is like the ones I've had over the years, you'll have three kinds of youngsters:
• The ones who seem to show genuine faith, in whom you rejoice as you see them grow.
• The ones who seem far from God, with little grasp of His goodness and grace towards them.
• The ones you haven't a clue about!

If we take a Bible-centred approach, we will want to keep God's Word central to all that we do with our group. The great news is that when we teach the Bible, a passage means the same whether we are teaching a believer, a non-believer or an 'unknown'. We still teach the Bible. We still teach the same main point (it doesn't change according to the beliefs, understanding or age of our group members). And we still apply it faithfully. However, we need to ensure that this application suits our hearers, which may well mean making separate applications for seekers and believers. And we pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the hearts of any seekers. This is the only way they are going to 'get it'.

So, teaching the Bible is still central, whether we have believers, seekers or a mix. But I do find myself wondering about my own sessions. Do I tend to be too seeker-focused, and not build in enough to help the believing children in my group to grow? I'm currently planning sessions for the next two Sundays. I may look again at those plans...

Pleasing God

'God will be pleased with me if I'm good.'
If a young person said that to you, how would you respond? Would you agree? Or disagree? And why?

YES: Living the way God wants me to live pleases Him. And as a Christian I want to please God.

NO: Many of us say 'pleased with me' when we really means 'accepts me'. But God does not accept us on the basis of our goodness (none of us are good enough). We are accepted on the basis of Christ's goodness alone.

So it's not 'God will accept me if I live a good life'. Instead, it's 'Because God has accepted me (through Christ), I want to live His way.' In many cases the actions may be the same - 'being good' - but the heart is different, the motivation is different.

The consequences of disobedience are different, too. If we believe that God only accepts us if we're good - but then we mess up - that leads to despair. But if we believe that God accepts us through Christ - and then we mess up - we repent and move on. We know that God has forgiven us and we still want to live His way.

These are issues I'm currently pondering ready for the first of our series of Big Issue training days around the country. This year's theme is 'Grace & Law', so I've been thinking about how children and young people can misunderstand these things. I long for the young people I work with to understand God's grace - and to understand the freedom this gives them. Not freedom to do whatever they feel like - but freedom to follow Christ and live His way. If you have any thoughts on the above, that might help me teach this more clearly - I'd love to hear them.

Friends and heroes

Last week, after two recommendations of the new BBC2 series 'Friends and Heroes', Tim and I decided to check it out.

The first challenge - could we find the Good Book telly?
• We eventually unearthed it from a cupboard.

The second challenge - where to put it?
• The desk was too cluttered
• The filing cabinet was too far from a plug
• An old table base was perfect but, oops, was that the sound of breaking glass? (Alas, poor vase - I knew it well.)

At last all was set, and we sat down to be impressed...

'Friends and Heroes' is in the same style as a previous animated series called 'The Storykeepers'. In both cases, the main story is based in the First Century, with the heroes experiencing life under the Romon occupation. They have adventures - but they also tell each other stories from the Old and New Testaments. As a concept it's an interesting one, and has potential for us as children's and youth workers.

Sadly, despite the recommendations, both Tim and I were disappointed. The animation quality was good - but the storytelling was slow to get going. Each episode includes two Bible stories, chosen to link with the theme of that episode. The one we watched was about two children - one Jewish and one Roman - who were prejudiced against each other. So one of the chosen Bible stories was Peter and Cornelius from Acts 10. It's certainly true that the vision God sent to Peter was designed to challenge Peter's view of 'unclean' Gentiles. Indeed, Peter would not have gone to see Cornelius otherwise, as he himself explains in v28-29. But this vision wasn't merely about friendship - it was opening Peter's eyes to the astounding truth (for him) that the wonderful gospel message about Jesus was for all people, not just the Jews. When Peter met with Cornelius, he spoke to him about Jesus - and all those listening became believers and were filled with God's Spirit. It was a pivotal moment in the expansion of the gospel and the growth of the early church.

When this story is used in Friends and Heroes, the animators have selected which parts of the story to include. Nothing is left in about the gospel - instead it's all about friendship, and specifically that Jews and Romans should be friends. As a result, the two children in the main story agree that they will be friends too. A gospel-centred event has been turned into a moralistic one.

Interestingly, if you check out the website linked with the TV series, there is a lot of emphasis on historical accuracy. The artefacts are drawn to be as near to accurate as possible, and the historical background is mainly based on the writings of Josephus. Much is made of this attention to detail - and I'm glad that it's there. However, when it comes to handling the Bible stories themselves, far less concern has been given to maintaining the full flow of the story or the main point behind it. This is disappointing.

The series is available on DVD, and I would still use clips from it with a group. But I'd either select very short examples where the Bible handling manages to be accurate - or I'd use it in a different way alltogether. I think this could form the basis of a very interesting discussion with older children and teens about how we understand Bible stories and apply them to our own lives. I'd love to sit down with a group - watch the episode I saw last week - compare it with the Bible account in Acts 10, and use that as a basis for a discussion. It could be a creative way to help young people think about understanding and applying the Bible for themslves - as well as thinking critically about the things they see and hear.

Do check out the programmes for yourself. They're currently shown on BBC2 at 10.45 on Tuesday mornings. You can also find out more from their website.

Start how you want to go on

Two days ago I was running a training event for a church that's about to start new children's groups at a morning service that currently doesn't have any. They are in the unusual situation of starting something brand new but with known numbers of children (rather a lot of them!). I was encouraging them to see this as a strength, and to START AS THEY WANT TO GO ON by thinking strategically about the principles on which their groups will run.

Most of us aren't in this situation. It's far more likely that we have 'inherited' our groups - along with an interesting collection of traditions. (I once worked for a church which set up a kind of altar at the front of their 5-7s group - with a framed painting of Jesus and several candles - because they'd 'always done it that way'.) Even so, it's good to reassess our principles now and then, and see if we need to do a rethink.

Just two suggestions to get that process going:

ONE—we are in a partnership with parents (since the Bible tells us that parents have the primary responsibility for the spiritual eduction of children). We have their children for an hour or so - they have them for life. So ask whether your group is set up to develop that partnership, and support parents in their role. A simple starting point is to review how you communicate with parents, and whether you encourage them to follow up at home what you've been doing with their child this week.

TWO-what are your team commiting themselves to (and do they know?). I encouraged these new leaders to commit themselves to always arriving early enough to be completely prepared before any of the young people turn up, to praying together as a team before a session starts, and to meet up regularly as a team to encourage each other and do some team training together.

Our role as children's and youth leaders is to be Bible teachers. Thinking through these kind of issues strategically, and being intentional about how we lead our groups and work together, will support us in that Bible-teaching role.

Quality control

Once a year, my parents like to visit the Scottish island of Islay. My dad is a whisky connoisseur - and particularly fond of the Islay single malts - so he jokes that it is their annual quality control visit! Of course, one visit a year makes no real difference to the quality. But it's a fun excuse to visit a gorgeous island, and enjoy its produce!

As children's and youth workers, we have a concern for quality, too. We teach God's living Word. It's a fantastic privilege - but also a responsibility. We want to teach it faithfully and effectively - and put together the best sessions we possibly can. (If you're not sure about this, check out the blog from August 6th on 'excellence' - and the helpful comments people have added to it.)

While I was in Sydney, I met a children's worker who was particularly stimulating to talk to, because she is so intentional about the way she works. What is the single most effective thing she has done to make a difference to the quality of the sessions her team leads? She pulled back from weekly teaching herself - and instead became a non-teaching co-ordinator.

I must admit that I blinked when she said that. It felt more like a retrograde step. But it turned out that she is very specific in her purpose. She is still with a group every week, but now she is there to train and develop her leaders. Some weeks she will sit in on their session, and then give feedback afterwards. At other times, she leads the session herself, with the intention of modelling good practise. Alternatively, she might help a new leader with their preparation, and then join in to give support and help.

She told me that this decision to become a non-teaching co-ordinator made a huge difference to the quality of the sessions being run in the various groups. She already did regular training with her team - and hosted team meetings - but it was this intentional approach to improving what happens week by week that made the big difference. Not so much 'quality control' as a huge quality boost. If that's the kind of boost you've been looking to see in your own groups, maybe this is a model that's worth considering?

Get ready to be imitated

I have been reading Hebrews in the mornings, and was struck by these words:

'Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.' (Hebrews 13 v 7–8)

My 5-8s group starts again next week - I'd guess many of your groups do, too - which makes it a good time to be thinking about the Autumn term. The children and young people in our groups will watch us as well as listen to us. They will notice whether our lives back up what we say. They will watch how we relate to each other. And, if we are parents, they will watch how we relate to our children, too. They may not be consciously checking up on us - but they'll soon notice if we say one thing but do another.

The writer of Hebrews encouraged his readers to remember their leaders and imitate them. Don't we long that the young people we serve will 'imitate our faith'? - that they will put their faith in Jesus, as we have done, and aim to serve Him wholeheartedly. Hebrews then goes on to remind us that Jesus doesn't change. The Jesus we teach about in our groups is the same Jesus we read about in the Gospels, the same Jesus we see at the creation of all things (John 1 v 1-3, Colossians 1 v 16) and the same Jesus we look forward to praising throughout eternity. Jesus is constant - always faithful, always true.

Paul knew the importance of imitation. He wrote: 'Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.' (1 Corinthians 11 v 1). As we start a new term, maybe this is a good time to prayerfully think through what kind of example we are giving to our children and young people - to ask God to point out areas that need to change - and to pray for God's help in living lives that will honour Him, and reflect the truth of what we teach.

Are we ready to be imitated?

And... I saw all these animals, too

A few more photos from last weekend's safari. For some reason, every time I tried to upload these vertical photos from the laptop I was using in Joburg, they either came out sideways or crashed the computer!

So... they're a bit late, but I hope you enjoy them.

Yes, I really saw all these on Saturday!

What a fantastic treat - not only to be in South Africa, but to visit a game park. A friend took me to Pilanesberg National Park on Saturday. The painful bit was leaving at 5.00am (ouch) - but it was worth every minute of missed sleep. These photos were all taken by my friend during the visit on Saturday - and are just a few of the animals and birds we saw. Isn't God's creation brilliant!!

Brothers and sisters in Christ

I have just had a fantastic time with the students from Johannesburg Bible College (JBC). They start each day of teaching with a morning devotional. What a delight to pray, sing and read the Bible with brothers and sisters in Christ. The fact that I had flown for ten hours to the bottom of Africa to meet them made no difference - we were all part of God's one family. It was very moving to be with them.

Most of the guys in this morning's session are not directly involved in children's work. (I tried to encourage them to do some, of course!) So we looked at ways that they can make a difference to the children in their church. How can they help parents to take up their responsibility for the spiritual education of their children? How can they support and equip children's workers in their crucial role as Bible teachers? And of course we discussed my favourite proposition:

'Teaching the Bible to children is the same as teaching it to adults - but harder!'

They didn't all agree with me (I didn't expect them to) but we had a great discussion, and hopefuly it raised their awareness of the importance of children's work, and encouraged them to see children's leaders as Bible teachers.

On Thursday I'll be spending the morning with the members of the Women's and Children's Work course. After the fab time this morning, I can't wait to be with them! I'm also hoping to meet up with a few individual children's workers while I'm here. I'm hoping that I can be of encouragement to them - but also anticipating that they will have much to say to me that will prompt my thinking, and stimulate my own ideas on teaching the Bible to children. What a joy, that we all share the privilege of teaching God's living Word to children.

The same - but harder

'Teaching the Bible to children is the same as teaching it to adults - but harder!'

I like to pop this proposition in front of people and get them to discuss it (especially if they're NOT in children's and youth work). I don't actually mind whether they agree with me or not - I just want them to consider the possibility. Because, if I'm right, that has implications in a church, and should hopefully mean that children's workers are viewed differently.

I'm going to use this as a discussion starter next week at the Bible College in Johannesburg. It will be interesting to find out whether they agree with me or not.

Do you?

Excellence

I watched the National Youth Orchestra perform in one of the Proms on Friday evening (on my parents' TV). Back in January I had the joy of seeing them live, performing Britten's War Requiem. Both concerts were fantastic. During the interval, the BBC showed an interview with the conductor, talking about the intensive rehearsing they had done all day, every day, for the eight days before the concert. Why did they work so hard? To achieve excellence.

I'm currently reading 'The Fabulous Reinvention of Sunday School' by Aaron Reynolds, who used to be the artistic director for Promiseland (the children's ministry of Willow Creek Community Church in the States). I know that one of Willow Creek's key values is excellence, so I was interested to see how that plays out in Aaron's view of Sunday School. In part 1 of his book, it means memorisation and rehearsal. Aaron's view is that whoever is leading the session should memorise everything they are doing - not just what comes next, but the actual script. This leaves you free on the day to focus on how you are communicating with the children, and how they are responding, rather than trying to work out what to say. He also sees rehearsal as non-negotiable. Everyone involved with the session - the leaders, musicians, actors, technical team - does a complete run-through beforehand, usually either on a mid-week evening or on Saturday.

You can see, from the list of people involved, that Aaron is writing about a different scale of children's group to anything most of us experience. (I don't have a 'technical team'!) He also comes from a background where they will repeat this Sunday School programme three times in one day, to run alongside three adult services. It would, therefore, be easy to dismiss his views as less relevant for the UK scene - as well as being unrealistic for most teams of leaders. But are they?

I met an author during my trip who told me that 'excellence leads to inclusiveness'. We were talking about the quality of writing and illustrations in children's books, at the time - but doesn't the same principle apply? If a non-Christian family pops in to our church on Sunday morning, and the children's and youth groups are a bit below par that day, does it make it less likely that they'll come back? But if they sit in with their children, and see a session that oozes excellence, will that draw them back the following week? Does 'excellence lead to inclusiveness' - by including and drawing in those who are not Christians? Should memorisation and rehearsal be the norm we all aspire to? Is this a way of showing that teaching God's Word to children and young people is the most important thing we do all week? Or is it just applying secular values (and gloss?) to Christian areas of service, rather than remembering that it is the Holy Spirit who draws people to God?

'Excellence attracts people. Excellence inspire kids. Excellence honours God.' That's what Aaron Reynolds says. What do you think?

Good children's material?

Friends of mine founded the Johannesburg Bible College three years ago. This year they have begun a Women's and Children's Work course - and have asked me to do some teaching on it. I go in two weeks' time. (Both exciting and terrifying!) Two of the sessions they have asked for are: 'what to look for in good children's material' and 'how to write and produce good children's material'. I've been pondering about how these sessions might look different as a result of teaching them in South Africa, rather than the UK.

When I write children's material for the 5-8s at my own church, I can tailor it specifically for the group size, venue, timing etc. I also know the children, what their needs are and something about their spiritual understanding, all of which shapes what I write. When I write or edit material for publication, it needs to be much more flexible, to allow for a wide variety of groups using it. But even so, having spoken to a lot of children's leaders over the years, I do have a feel for what the variables might be in UK churches. But what about South African churches? Some of what I know here in the UK will translate across the water - but other things will be very different. I'll need to ask lots of questions, and be prepared to adapt according to what I find.

BUT one thing will be the same. For teaching material to be 'good', it must be Bible-centred. Not just based on the Bible - but shaped by it. And it must help children to engage with the Bible for themselves, and come to know God better through His Word.

I know that there is a shortage of South African material written in local languages (rather than English). Please pray for the students currently studying on this course - that God will equip them to write material that is faithful to Him and His Word, and that will be used by Him in many young lives. And please do pray that my contribution will be both encouraging and helpful. Thank you.

Here's my research...

This blog was started to chart my sabbatical, and the research I did while travelling. It ended up including far less research, and far more odd thoughts, than I expected - but that's OK. I've now written up my conclusions about retelling Bible stories to children. If you'd like to know what they are, please open up the pages above. (You can do this by clicking each page.)

By the way - this seems a very messy way of adding an article to my blog, but I haven't been able to find a better one. If you'd prefer a Word copy of the article, please let me know. And if I discover a way of adding a Word document to this blog, I will do so...

Loss

I lost my 'cello teacher this week. (Sounds a bit careless doesn't it?) Having wanted to play the 'cello since I was 10, I eventually made it 31 years later. An inheritance from my much-loved Granny paid for an instrument and a few lessons. I had no idea it could take so long just to play in TUNE (!) - but two and a half years later, I still love learning.

But now K, my 'cello teacher, is leaving. I heard this week that we only have one more lesson together. In truth, I'm gutted. I've really enjoyed her lessons. But it's more than that. At the time I started, I was really quite ill. I'd had to pull out of most of my church commitments, which meant a plethora of free evenings. Probably for the first time in my adult life, I truly had the time to learn an instrument and practise it each day. My 'cello playing has accompanied my gradual move from sickness to health, and K has been alongside me throughout. So losing her is a bit of a shock. I'm feeling a little bereft.

K isn't my only loss this summer. Just before my trip, I had my last meeting with M, my counsellor. While K was accompanying my painful screechings on the 'cello, M was accompanying an even more painful experience, as I ploughed my way through the horrors of deep depression. My current health is largely a tribute to M's wisdom, skill and kindness. There is much to celebrate in regaining my health, but it was still very difficult to say goodbye.

So, I've lost two significant people in two months - people I have seen weekly for over two years. And it's got me thinking. Relationships matter so much to us - and much more, of course, when they are close family or friends. Loss is a regular part of our lives. But the loss of these two relationships made me think of THE relationship. The loss of two people who have been important in my life, points me back to the ONE who is all-important. In John 6 v 39, Jesus says this: 'This is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given me, but raise them up at the last day.'

My wonderful Saviour will never lose me. That perfect relationship is secure for eternity. We experience loss now - and it hurts - but there's no need to fear losing my Lord and Saviour. My hope is Him is certain.

Different... but the same

Well, I'm back. It was a l-o-n-g journey, made perfect by spending 51 minutes waiting at the baggage carousel at Heathrow. (Yes, I am that sad person who times how long she spends at carousels. I'd like to blame it on jetlag, but it wouldn't really be true.) I then spent the weekend mostly comatose, trying to adjust to my fourth shift of time zone in six weeks. The general consensus since reappearing from my cocoon is that I look rested and refreshed. The photo was taken yesterday, so you can decide whether you agree.

Am I glad to be back. Oh Yes! Did it live up to my longings? Not really. Towards the end of my trip, I was longing for home, and especially the peace and space that go with it. But the peaceful, spacious flat I craved turned out to be cramped, cluttered and a bit claustrophobic. Maybe it's because I've been staying in a series of large homes. Maybe distance made the hearth grow bigger (!). Even though it's been great to catch up with family and friends, I have to confess that my homecoming was a bit of a let-down.

BUT it's got me thinking about the perspectives I've gained from my trip. It's easy to get ensnared by the novelty of other countries and the allure of foreign fields. However, one thing I've learned this trip is that many things are different, but actually the same. The country and culture may be different, but 'doing life' is still the same. Ministry may have a different flavour, but essentially it's still the same. The children we work with have different accents (and deeper sun tans!) but we teach them the same Bible and introduce them to the same Lord. And as I wander round creation - Yes, I relish seeing different delights I haven't met before, but they still point me to the same Creator.

I enjoyed an early-morning stroll along a nearby stream. I've never been there at 6.30 am before - definitely a plus-point of jetlag! The birds were in full throat. Less raucous than their Aussie cousins (although I did actually have a small flock of parakeets wheeling overhead!) The walk was great, and gave me a chance to reassess my feelings of disappointment at feeling so crowded and quashed at home. I can never admire creation without looking to the Creator. This time, He reminded me again that my home isn't in Surbiton. It's with Him. And when I finally see Him face to face in the new creation, there's no risk at all of feeling let down. Thank You, Father!

The funnest thing you can do on water?

Yesterday was easily the funnest day of my trip! After an early meeting (not the fun bit!), my god-daughter and I caught a train (I love the Sydney double-decker trains!) down to Circular Quay and went jet-boating. Lots of screaming. Lots of being thrown around. Lots of getting wet. It was the funnest, coolest, wettest joyride you can imagine. :D

After a lazy lunch, overlooking the Opera House and Harbour Bridge, we then mosied on to the cinema, for a lazy afternoon with the Fantastic Four, lounging on the most comfortable cinema seats I've ever met. Then we wandered back home, for a special meal with some very good friends (accompanied by some very, very good Shiraz.) :D

I head home tomorrow - and I'm still really looking forward to being home - but it's been lovely to have such a yummy day at the end of my trip. :D

Longing for home

I flew out of Heathrow five weeks ago today. I am SO ready to go home!! I love Sydney. I loved New York and Vancouver, too. But I'm now longing for home. It's not that Surbiton is that exciting - it's not in danger of winning any favourite town awards! The first photo shows Berrylands railway station - which is only three doors away from my flat. You can see what a picturesque area I live in! The second photo is Sydney Opera House, where I enjoyed a performance of Othello on Thursday night, and which was declared, that very day, a world heritage sight. Surbiton or Sydney? There's no contest really.

BUT Sydney isn't home. I miss home. I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss work (honestly!). But most of all I miss the peace and quiet of my own home. For the past five weeks I've been with people all the time. I've stayed with great people - all of them - who've been welcoming, kind and generous. Really terrific. But I am SO ready to have some time on my own - my own space, and no noise. It's the PEACE and SPACE I can't wait to get back to...

I was reminded in this evening's sermon that followers of Jesus are all living away from home. Our home isn't in Sydney. Or even Surbiton. It's with Jesus, in the new creation. One of my favourite books is Philippians. In 4 v 20-21 it says this:

'Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.'

New bodies - a new creation - and seeing our Lord face to face. I really am longing to get back to Surbiton - but, oh, what a wonderful future home I have to look forward to!

More thoughts on why God made trees

I met up with a friend this week, who told me about a book he's been reading - Cat and Dog Theology by Bob Sjogren. I haven't read it yet, but I'd like to. The title is based on an old joke:

A dog says, 'You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, you must be God.' A cat says, 'You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be God.'

My friend mentioned the book, because we'd been discussing my musings on why God made trees. He pointed out that we can tend towards a cat-like view of creation - that it was created for us and our pleasure - rather than a dog-like view - that God created it for Himself, for His pleasure and glory.

Hmm... I was out walking again this afternoon, and pondering this as I walked. Why did God create wonders in the ocean depths, which people will never see? Why did God make the whole of the Great Barrier Reef a stunning jewel of delight, rather than just the bit that the tourists visit? It can't be for us! (Although my realisation a few years ago that the majority of the barrier reef would never be seen by humans, led me to an increased wonder at the lavish creativity of God, simply because I couldn't see it for myself.)

Romans 1 v 20 tells us that 'since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made'. Psalm 19 v 1 says that 'The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands'. Creation points us to God and His glory. That suggests to me that creation is made for God - but also for us. And it's wonderful. I'm so glad we're able to share it.

Knocked out by training day

Why was this delegate flattened at a recent training day for children's leaders? Answers on a postcard to... (or add your suggestions to this blog)

My mystery bird

Here it is - it's an Australian White Ibis, and they're BIG. I was excited to see such an exotic-looking bird on my travels - but apparently they're a bit of a pest. As are possums, even ones that have just alighted from the Parramatta train. They're still cool, though!