The little broadcasting some of us get branded with...

I've been watching God TV. I confess. It is pretty awful. When every preacher looks at the screen and yells at you to sort your life out it's not a great resource for societal improvement. However, it did get me thinking. The type of programming on this channel is a mix of weird Australian presenters talking loosely about some kind of 'Glory' that floats around, in reach if you pray for enough hours of your day; televangelists with no message worth laying claim to; liars telling you that the Gospel of Jesus Christ found in the Bible isn't quite right, unless you have everything sorted (or the other way round, that the Gospel is supposed to get you sorted in 48 hours of believing, contrary to these texts here, here, and here); and women giving profoundly foolish advice to lower-middle class people about how they could where trouser suits just like her.

It's not got anything worth watching. Todd Bentley was almost getting to a point where people might have invited him to their house for tea, only to see the strain of not taking a Sabbath (which many people learn is a dumb move) put strains on his family. It removes the people following one man, but it's not the best way to see that happen. I saw a trailer the other day to buy a cloth that (for only €50) would heal you every time you touched it. I came to the conclusion that this channel should not carry the name it does, unless it decides to shape up and get rid of the preaching people want to hear, and put in place preaching people need to hear.

This isn't their first criticism and it won't be their last. It makes me mad that people who don't know Jesus might watch this. It's a load of rubbish, and it's only good purpose is to practice discernment. I turn it on and ask myself, "How is this wrong?" It doesn't take me long to find out, and it's upsetting that that's what it's come to.

Enough about that, because on the other side of this chasm is a Channel 4 show called 'Make Me A Christian.' It's brilliant, and based in Leeds (my old home City), so it just makes it that little bit better than the average Channel 4 documentaries. It's not in the same league as Celebrity Wife Swap, but it is very good. There is a small issue I had with an Evangelical (I think) Catholic priest who tried to convince one family to have a picture of the latest pope over their fireplace. But the methods of the 4 church leaders are astonishing. One guy was in a relationship for 2 years, but still spent Thursday nights (Lads' night) going out, picking up girls, and sleeping with them. An unhealthy amount of one night stands (i.e. more than none). A Pastor decided the only way for him to come face-to-face with his blatantly absurd actions was to take him to an STI clinic, and get him tested for sexually transmitted infections. The man in question couldn't go through with it, but I think he got the message.

Another girl was so obsessed with her image she had had plastic surgery in a lot of different places to make herself feel better. She was so materialistic with her outward appearance she was in debt by £15,000. Not good. Another pastor went to her house, asked her a few questions, then realised what her issue was and quoted this from the Bible:

Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. (1 Peter 3:3-4)

The power of these words led her to tears, and she wept for a considerable amount of time. Coming face-to-face with idolatry is a terrible thing, but it showed her, and the guy mentioned earlier, that there is something about Christianity that cannot just be an outward thing. It finds itself outwardly expressing itself in the faith of a believer. But what is ultimately important is what is in the heart. I didn't see any more of the documentaries, but could see the methods: Bring them face-to-face with their way of living to show them just how broken they really are. If someone is brought into a place of brokenness Jesus is a True and Great Hope that no one can turn down.

Returning to routine

As usual, the Summer months dictate over a month between posts. There's been plenty happening that I could have reacted to, or even in my own study there's been plenty to inform you of insight I have seen, read, heard, experienced, in the past few weeks. But I'm looking forward more. I finally bagged myself a room in a house that is far more permanent, and feels like my own. That means an easier discipline, rather than feeling like you're intruding everywhere you tread. Job applications, I've realised, are depressing; especially when you send of 50 CV's a day to various companies, and get 3 phone calls a week as a response. That says to me 'you may be far better skilled than some people, but there is always someone else far more skilled than you.' Thanks.

As far as churches go, there are a far too many to mention in the little hamlet of London. The conference at Brighton, put on by New Frontiers, and featuring Mark Driscoll as guest speaker, finally had a focus I could engage with: mission. The trouble with the conference as a whole was it's formulaic essence. Driscoll was an incredibly insightful and engaging preacher, pushing all challenges beyond the usual 'make sure you keep yourself clean, and tell someone you're a Christian at least once a week.' However, the worship band leading the thousands of delegates played for 30 minutes without fail, even if you could sense the need to wrap up early, or continue for an hour or so more. The prophetic, of which has been recognised as something New Frontiers is strong on, was equally basic. You'd imagine, at a place filled with 7000 spirit-filled, prophetic Christians, there would be encouragement, and vision from engaging with God, but it was quite bland compared with the past. Maybe the visions set by previous years asked for something that could not be given in the same measure as we stopped changing season and started living in it.

London was targeted as a strategic city in the world, and I moved there three weeks ago. Since then, my girlfriend and I visited 2 and a half churches, and stuck with the second one. Our local New Frontiers church gave the impression it didn't want any new people, so we left them to themselves, and found a church plant in Dulwich (South of the river) called Beacon Church. That's about where I'm at. The church has quickly integrated us, and we feel part of the vision.

I've also been writing some comments through 1 and 2 Peter, which I'm writing in a more legible form at my new blog Theological Meanderings. Maybe I'll move over there for a while, we'll see.

SYIAB! (See You In A Bit)