Author Archives: Stephen Sizer

Jesus Mean and Wild: His Priorities (Mark 1:29-39)

china-catholics_2432750bTonight we are holding a very special service. At the request of Bishop Andrew we are hosting a vocation service. It will be the first of several that will be held across the Diocese. So we are piloting the initiative. Friends from the neighbouring churches will join us to learn about Christian vocations. Bishop Andrew will be preaching. William Challis, the Director of Ordinands – that is those in training to be ordained, will interview Jennifer the new curate at Egham, and also Peter and Will. They will share how they discerned God’s call to ministry. Please come, welcome our friends from other churches and the university. But be prepared as well. Be prepared for God to speak to you too about his call in your life.

I just feel a little guilty because there is one important thing we omitted from the publicity. There is no health warning. Seeking ordination could seriously shorten your life. It will likely bring heartache, misunderstanding, and disagreements. And that is just from friends and family before you have even begun training. You will join many others on Satan’s hit list. He will do everything he can to make you pay. He will most certainly hinder, harass and hound you. He will distract, divert and denigrate you. He will try and corrupt, compromise and maybe even kill you, if he can. That is why we are also delighted to be hosting a half-day regional conference for the Barnabas Fund on Saturday 14th November. The focus will be on the suffering church and how we can support them. Tell your friends.

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Harvest: Our Role & Responsibility for Creation (Psalm 8)

Last week, the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, issued an unprecedented warning that climate change poses a huge risk to global stability. At a gathering of leading insurers at Lloyd’s of London, Mr Carney pointed out the rapid increase in weather-related catastrophes and the jump in both the physical and financial costs. He said the challenges currently posed by climate change “pale in significance compared with what might come”. He said this generation had little incentive to avert future problems. He avoided spelling out what was causing this apparent change, but said evidence was mounting of man’s role in climate change. Insurers are among those with the biggest interest in climate change as the syndicates operating at Lloyd’s, the world’s oldest insurance market, are the most exposed to disasters such as hurricanes and floods. Mr Carney said the after-effects of such disasters were likely to grow worse: IMG_0352“The challenges currently posed by climate change pale in significance compared with what might come. “The far-sighted amongst you are anticipating broader global impacts on property, migration and political stability, as well as food and water security.”

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Jesus Mean and Wild: Holy War (Mark 1:21-28)

Ohama_higgins1On June 6th, 1944, a huge amphibious and airborne force landed on the coast of Northern France intent on reversing the tide of the Second World War. The meticulously planned operation included waves of beach assaults, naval bombardments, air strikes and parachute drops – all on a scale never seen before. Code-named “D-Day,” the invasion saw the beginning of the end of the Nazi occupation of Europe.

D-Day has been re-enacted in at least five major films. I am sure you will have seen at least one of them. Where Eagles Dare focuses on a group of commandos sent high into the Alps on a daring mission to rescue a captured American officer before he divulges D-Day plans. The Big Red One is a more factual account. The film title refers to the US Army 1st Infantry Division, who wore the insignia of a red ‘one’ as they landed on Omaha Beach on June 6th. Director, Samuel Fuller actually served with the Big Red One in real life, earning the Silver Star on D-Day. Perhaps the definitive film about D-Day, shot in black & white, was appropriately entitled, The Longest Day. The film encompasses the American, British, French as well as the German perspective, as D-Day unfolds. The ten-part Band of Brothers is a more recent visually stunning and accurate portrayal of the 101st Airborne Division’s role in WW2. These US paratroopers were one of the first Allied units to go into battle on D-Day, and the series captures their war with gritty realism. But probably the most iconic portrayal of D-Day takes centre-stage in the gripping war film, Saving Private Ryan. The film is considered one of the greatest as well as most controversial war films of all time. It’s half hour depiction of the bloody fighting on Omaha Beach is both vivid and terrifying. Apparently psychiatrists treating veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the Vietnam and Iraq wars, advised them not to watch the film.

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David Robinson on 20 Years of Royalty Protection

David Robinson, a former police officer serving with SO14, the Royal Protection Command, spoke at Christ Church, Virginia Water, recently. David spent 31 years with the Metropolitan Police, 20 of them as a Royal Protection Officer, He shared how he became a Christian and also gave some insights into the challenges of protecting members of the Royal Family.

How Should I Pray? (Philippians 4:1-7)

What kind of week have you had? When the Daily Mail published a photo me alongside one of Jeremy Corbyn, I thought maybe they were nominating me to run as deputy leader of the Labour Party… until I read the caption. Yesterday Oliver Kamm, writing in the Jewish Chronicle described me as an “insanitary crackpot”. I think the he meant “insane” rather than “insanitary”.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Wednesday I became a grandfather for the first time. Louise who lives in Hong Kong gave birth to a little boy names Toby.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

Thursday I visited the HQ of the Barnabas Fund in Wiltshire to discuss with their leaders, setting up a new charity to support human rights in countries where Christians are persecuted or are a minority. It will be called the Peacemaker Trust. 
Barnabas are helping with the legal costs of registering the charity. Two Archbishops have agreed to be Patrons and three Bishops as well as 15 politicians, academics and lawyers have agreed to serve on the Council of Reference.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)

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Nehemiah 12: The Servant Leader’s Worship

What is probably the longest-running weekly TV programme anywhere in the world? First aired in October 1961, it is the quintessentially BBC programme synonymous with Sundays. In the early 1990s, the weekly viewership of the show was about twenty-five percent of the British population, perhaps five times as many as attending church that day. The programme staged its largest event at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on the first Sunday of 2000. A live audience of over 60,000 people came to sing, with a 6,000 piece choir, an orchestra of 100 harps, the band of the Welsh Guards and an anthem specially written by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is of course… Songs of Praise.

But is nothing sacred anymore? Last week’s broadcast, 16 August 2015, was filmed at a ramshackle Ethiopian Orthodox church in the Calais jungle, the nickname given to a series of ramshackle camps near Calais, where migrants live while they attempt to enter the United Kingdom illegally by stowing away on lorries, ferries, cars, or trains travelling through the Port of Calais or the Eurotunnel Calais Terminal. The migrants are a mix of refugees, asylum seekers and economic migrants from Darfur, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Eritrea and other troubled areas of the world. The BBC received criticism from tabloids including the Daily Express, who lambasted the BBC as “out of touch” and the show as “political propaganda”.

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Nehemiah 10: The Servant Leader’s Covenant

I wonder whether you are responsible for crashing the Labour Party website on Wednesday? Somebody did… In fact an awful lot of people did. The crash occurred as the Party struggled to cope with a surge of young people wanting to join and vote in the forthcoming election of a new leader. You would think a political party would be enthusiastic to welcome new members. Mark Steel, writing in Friday’s Independent explains why not.

“It’s easy to see why those in charge of the Labour Party are so depressed. They must sit in their office crying: “Hundreds of thousands of people want to join us. It’s a disaster. And loads of them are young, and full of energy, and they’re really enthusiastic. Oh my God, why has it all gone so miserably wrong?” Every organisation would be the same. If a local brass band is down to its last five members, unsure whether it can ever put on another performance, the last thing it needs is young excited people arriving with trombones to boost numbers and raise money and attract large audiences. The sensible response is to tell them they’re idiots, and announce to the press that they are infiltrators from the Workers’ Revolutionary Party.”

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What do you Prize Most? (Philippians 3:10-14)

Do an internet search on the words “meaning” and “purpose” and you will find plenty of inspiration. Take this one. Superficially it sounds motivational. Until you reflect on the reference point. The focus is on the gift not the giver. And this is the best the world can offer. Secular do-good humanism at its best.

Last month at Carnival Capers we undertook a Community Survey of Religious Opinion. The results are in this month’s Connection magazine. We asked people about their search for meaning in life. 40% said they were fulfilled. 30% still searching. 20% confused and 10% disappointed. The majority clearly have yet to find meaning and purpose in life. What is the difference between meaning and purpose?

From a biblical perspective the meaning of life is to find your destiny – to know God through Jesus. The purpose of life is to share him with others. To know Jesus and make Jesus known. Have you discovered why you are here? The Bible tells us that God has at least five purposes.

  • We were planned for God’s pleasure – to know God personally and love and serve him (John 17:3).
  • We were formed for God’s family – to find a spiritual home and family in the local church (Acts 2:42).
  • We were created to become like Christ – revealing his character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control (Galatians 5:22-23).
  • We were shaped for serving God – with a unique mix of talents, skills and passion to serve in and through the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).
  • We were made for a mission – to introduce other people to God’s five purposes for them also – to win, build and send (Matthew 28:18-20).

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Nehemiah 8: Renewal and How to Experience it

In April, The Guardian reported the findings of a Gallup survey, which showed that the UK is among the least religious countries in the world. In a global ranking of 65 countries, the UK came six places from last, with 30% of the population calling themselves religious. While 53% of people said they were not religious, 13% are convinced atheists. This compares with 94% of people in Thailand who said they were religious and 93% of people in Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia and Morocco. At the bottom of the list was China where only 6% of people are religious and 61% said they are convinced atheists. The other countries below Britain are Japan, where just 13% of people are religious, Sweden with 19%, Czech Republic with 23%, and the Netherlands with 26%.

At Carnival Capers last month we conducted our own survey of religious opinion. Gallup questioned 63,898 people – about 1,000 from each country. Our sample by comparison was far too small to be statistically significant. However, the results do provide an insight into local views. To the question, “What do you think is the greatest need in this area?”  Loneliness 50%; Stress 40%. When we asked the question “The most important thing to me in life right now is…” Family 80%; Good relationships 40%; God or spirituality 20%. Incidentally… No one mentioned work. We asked people about meaning in life: Fulfilled 40%; Still searching 30%; Confused 20%; Disappointed 10%. So the majority are still searching for meaning in life. And when we asked, “If you could know God personally would you be interested?” Yes 70%. No one said ‘No’. What do the findings reveal? Most people see loneliness and stress as the biggest issues in life, think family and good relationships are most important to them. The majority have “tried” Christianity, do believe Jesus is the Son of God, rarely or never attend a church now, but are searching and would like to know God personally if it were possible. I suspect those results could easily be replicated almost anywhere in the world. And had we undertaken the survey in Nehemiah’s day, I am sure we would have found similar results. Human nature has not evolved or changed over time.

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