What are the unintended consequences?

"The best things in life are free."

Over on Andrew Brims's blog he has decided this motto is worth following and is giving away an eBook for free. Completely Free! No if's, No but's, No whatevers.

It's very appropriate considering the content of the book.

Unintended consequences.

It challenges Christians to think about our cultural model of "doing" church and ask the question "What are some of the side affects". (both good and bad) Such as charging for resources and materials.

It isn't just negative though, there are some alternative suggestions that maybe great for some churches to be doing some of the time. 

If you want to check out Brims book, then head over to his blog here and download it there. It is free...Completely free, no sign ups, no email lists, no personal details, just download.

Discipleship and the busy life

It is very easy to get busy in this modern world
(though I suspect it was pretty easy to do the same as a farm owner back in the middle ages) and this can have an impact on discipleship.

Sometimes it can be easy to concentrate on doing things (for God) that we can forget about doing things with God, or even just spending time with him.

This has been true of me lately as I've found myself busy, even busy for god, that I have let go of spending the with him.

Discipleship is about learning to doing everything with God,

Be that "spiritual" things or "non-spiritual"


It's about bring God into the ordinary and bringing the ordinary to God.

January's aims 2012

Many factors lead to this delay in publishing my January review.

1. Changing the branding on the blog
2. Moving flats
3. Preparing a talk for a conference
4. Working on two international house courses
5. Considering what to do as the aim for the next 30 days.

All these factors lead to this massive delay in writing my up date but at last it is here.

1. Write an ebook

The writing process is coming a long and I have written a mini introduction and done a lot of research for the main content of it. However I need to push on with some more writing if I want to get this done and have a better idea of how it will be structured.

2. Write 2 songs a month for an album

This was very easy last month but having started to share a flat with someone else I have noticed it is increasingly hard especially with such different timetables. I think I may have to use the morning instead of the evenings as a chance to write songs. 

3. Complete a half marathon 

Training has been minimal with the snow, ice and minus 20C temperatures. However, I have managed to go for a few runs that have reminded me of how hard the task shall be. 

4. Change job

Not much progress here. My thoughts have seamed to become stuck in a ditch with little direction as to how to get out and make progress in this area. Unfortunately every time I think about it the options become more numerous and there are more pro's and con's. 

5. Buy only 10 things this year.

Well I have bought a book this month but other than that I haven't bought anything else. Although thinking about it just now I have realised that I didn't include such things as going bowling or similar activities which perhaps I should have. 

I think this has made me appreciate things as treats more, especially within the perspective that whatever I get will reduce my options later. I do however have a request here.

If you would like to help with this aim then you could offer to buy me a book/music and I would happily do the same in return. You might say this would be getting off on a technicality but I think promoting giving is always good.   

• My Russian work has been limitted but I did do a church announcement in russian.
• My teaching development is going well as seen by signing up for this conference talk, taking part in eltchat and other avenues.
• I think my writing has improved this year ironically by not sticking to a writing rota. [what do you think?]
• I have started fasting this year.
• I am behind with my bible reading schedule [due to travelling mainly] and now I'm trying to catch up.
• I have hosted a couple of parties which have gone down well. 

My extra aim for February

To do the talk in Prague in March [I know it's a bit of a get out clause but I don't really have time for anything else.]

So that was January!

Things that are worth fighting for

I've been reading a great book by Julien Smith called The Flinch which is about taking opportunities, learning to fail well and doing things that you can't do.

One of the points that came up was about fights worth fighting for.

Julien talked about how there are loads of fights going on everyday, the fight against AIDS, the fight against cancer, the fight for a better life for your family, the fight for peace, and many more. However, very few people are actually taking part in these fights.

It's true that we don't actually have to be on the front line to be in the fight, though someone does (so why not you or I?) but there are plenty of people who sit by and don't even know the fight is going on. There are even some people who are spectators with ringside seats who cheer on the home side but have never done anything to help.

So there is a challenge in the book, What is worth fighting for, get in the ring and fight for it.

This got me thinking about what I think is worth fighting for? What AM I already fighting for? What should I be fighting for?

Let's start with the first one. What is worth fighting for?

The kingdom of heaven

• Good news of the poor
• Support for depressed and lonely people
• Help for those with addictions
• Support for ex criminals/
• Support for people who suffer loses
• Giving people a reason to rejoice

I bought a book

If you have seen my aims for the year you will know that one of them is to only buy 10 new things this year. (there are some exemptions such as disposable items and replacing old things which make it easier) and as such  I have only just bought my first new item.

52 by the round.

It is a book of subversive ideas for English language teaching.

I have written a review on my other blog and will do a give away very soon as part of my post 500 posts celebration!

Jacob blessing to other nations

I love this moment in Genesis 30: 25-30

Here we can see that Jacob has been fulfilling the Abrahams promise of being a blessing to other people. He has worked hard, Laban has noticed this and acknowledges God because of it.

It makes me think about my work. Am I being being a blessing to those around me through my work, is their livestock increasing? Are they seeing god in what I do? Are they praising him for it?

I can't say for certain but I suspect in some areas I am failing, I guess it's another log to deal with.

500 blog post later

Well I hit the mark! 500 is a pretty good number. That's more than one a day for a whole year.

Admittedly some are better than others in fact some are awful! However, there are some that I am very happy with.

• I've Been mentioned on Lib Dem Voice. TWICE
• I've stopped blogging about politics
• I've changed country that I live in.
• I've started a second blog (with a teaching reflection focus)
• I've set some challenge
• I've track my new years aims for a year
• I've shown you Ukraine as I've seen it.
• I've shared some fears and faults
• I've improved as a writer and explored my creativity. The origins, purpose of this blog.
• I've become hooked on blogging (sometimes at the sloth too of missing the moment) but I am going to continue, don't worry.

You may have noticed that I have been blogging less frequently and more erratically recently. Partially this was a deliberate slow Down in the lead up to the 500 post and also as I was trying to follow Jeff Goins and found lead and write only great posts when I felt inspired rather than half hearted attempts. I think it's been pretty good but do feel free to suggest more regular posts.

The Cost of Discipleship

Dietrich Bonhoeffer is one of my heroes, he didn't just write about living a sacrificial life, he did it. He didn't talk about following Jesus, he did it. He didn't compromise what he though, he stood up and defended truth (though it was costly), and yet he still was a professor, father and church leader.

His book "the cost of discipleship" is what I nicked this blog title from.

However, he wasn't the first person to talk about the cost of discipleship.

 ¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. ¹⁹Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” ²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” ²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
 ²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

[Matthew 8:19-22]

Here two people want to follow Jesus and he warns them of the cost. The price of finding the kingdom of heaven.

It may seam at this point so costly that there could be no reason to follow the path of discipleship but there is still more.

 ⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.   ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

[Matthew 13: 44-45]

Discipleship involves following Jesus, following his steps and his path really did cost him everything. However, in return we gain everything. To buy the field the man had to first sell everything, to buy the greatest pearl he had to first sell all the lesser pearls.

Discipleship costs.