Sunday Blog Round Up

1 Tall Skinny Kiwi

"worship is the 'show' that brings in the punters, who then buy the merchandise."

2 More on Vicaring :Vic the Vicar on Healthy Dogcollar or Healthy Church

"Should the dogcollar be out there meeting people, winning the lost, standing with the broken and disposed and generally doing the stuff or should the dogcollar be more concerned with reading their Bible, building up themselves, going on retreats and generally being concerned with their own spiritual wellbeing at the expense of the church?

A few told me that what was most important was their own walk and that if this meant that the church took second place then so be it. A healthy, committed and Spirit-filled minister who took a day off each way to pray and read their Bible, took time to attend meetings that built them up and restricted evening engagements to but one a week was the primary goal, for it was first and foremost about them and their walk first.

Others told me that they were concerned with the church they were in and that this mean that they were called to support, guide and lead them. Putting themselves second and those they served first was apparently a recipe for a growing and healthy church but a sometimes tired and stretched dogcollar, but, they said, "Isn't this the calling?"

Tough one. I myself would be the former, but, oddly, might be tempted to feel judgemental about such a vicar.

And see Vic the Vicar's post about the abuse of the poor (or uneducated and un-confident). Making Money from the Poor

3 Still more on Vicaring Well. 

Bluntly put, "ministry" in a church with an oak tree vicar will be all about the Vicar or Rector's greater glory. Worship will be snazzy, because that will draw in punters, who will give, and enable further hiring. The emphases will be on outreach and evangelism, to draw in people who will give, and enable more hiring, and building one's little kingdom. There will be little focus on the fish already caught, little focus on discipleship or deepening. The Vicar himself will focus on writing books, speaking (internationally, whenever possible) and networking. The ground under him, the congregation will grow dank and malnourished, though he might thrive. 

Oh Man of God, flee these things.

(The first Anglican church I attended had an Oak tree leader, so I write feelingly :)

In contrast, in a healthy church, the Vicar is almost invisible. He transmits light, heat, energy and God's love to the congregation, who grow and flourish. The focus is on the sheep, and spiritual growth and discipleship. It's a lovely healthy church, though not as spectacular as an oak tree.

See David Cloake's brilliant analogy, The Oak Tree or the Greenhouse.

4 Gosh, this is turning into a Vicar-ey edition.

David Cooke on Rob Bell's splendid writing on the Sabbath.

5 iBenedictines--Vacare Deo

Vacare Deo, make space for God. Expect miracles of parties. Otium Sanctum, Holy Leisure, is not necessarily doing nothing. It can be the same as Otium Negotissimum, very busy leisure, in which we make space for God by attending to him.