Out of the Mouths of Babes - An Assembly Tale

This morning I was doing an assembly at Woodmansterne Primary School as I do every Tuesday and as it was the penultimate one before the Easter break I decided to do it on Good Friday. (I took it from the book 'Everyone Matters' by Tricia Williams.) We looked at a cross on a Hot Cross Bun and the different types of crosses and what they mean, then looked at how that can teach us the meaning of Good Friday. An X next to an incorrect sum, X on a valentines card, X on a treasure map, X on a voting card and of course a crucifix. The sum reminds us we all do wrong, the valentines card reminds us that God loves us, the map reminds us that finding God and being his friend is like finding a lost treasure, Jesus died on a cross and we need to say 'yes' to Jesus like on a voting card.

That was what I had planned (and what I did) but just as I was about to finish a 5 year old girl shouted out, "How can we find God?". So taken aback a little I asked the kids and another 5 year old girl put her hand up and said "Follow the treasure map!". "What's the treasure map?" I asked. Hands flung in the air "A book?" said one. "What book?" I said, "The Bible" he said. Then I spoke about the Bible and how Jesus is the perfect guide to God.

I must admit I got a little carried away but it's amazing when kids ask such intelligent questions and give great answers. I hope this sort of response continues.

Praise God!
Till Next Time!

Bell's Hells - On Universalism

If you know who Rob Bell is, and have had access to the internet or a Christian bookshop then you've probably come across his new book 'Love Wins'. The internet is now full of various reviews and most of which go along the lines of 'Rob Bell is a Universalist and therefore a heretic!'

Before we go any further I would just like to note, for my sake and for the sake of those that know me, that I am not a Universalist (and actually not, not like Bell's expression that he's not!).

I think we all, especially those in the Evangelical traditions (of which I am one), need to take a step back for a moment and take a deep breath before we continue along this line. Universalism, (simplistically defined as) the belief that all will be saved, is a view that Bell has propagated in words if not in label. You may be interested in his interview with Martin Bashir if you've not seen it.

I believe that in all aspects of life and debate that we are only cheating ourselves if we build up a straw man to knock down. Universalism, despite not being a mainstream doctrine not a correct one, is still a legitimate belief and not one that removed you from the family of Christ. It is entirely possible to be a Universalist and an orthodox Christian. With that said,Robin Parry, of Paternoster, has written an excellent article for the Baptist Times entitled 'Bell's Hells' which you can read here. Please, if you care about this debate or are chipping in, read this article before you post any more comments or slander Bell.

Till Next Time!

P.S. At present I am chatting to my GF Lizzie who said "Urgh! I don't want to discuss Theology..." Oh the travesty!

God made you amazing - Bruno Mars cover

Today I did an assembly on 'It's good to be me!' at a local school and it'd been a long time since I took my guitar in so today I did. I did a cover of Bruno Mars' 'Just the way you are'. The kids seem to love it and I hope will remind the kids the God made them to be them and to use what he has given them, not trying to be like other...except Jesus of course :p Well a few people have asked for the lyrics so here they are. Feel free to use it and change anything you want although if you get done for copyright infringement it's not my fault. Enjoy! The chords just repeat ad infinitum: D Bm G D



God made you amazing – Bruno Mars cover

VERSE
Oh she said, she said, I’m not as important as my class mate
He said, he said, I’m not as good at football as my team mates
But you are important in a special way.
You’re made, you’re made in the image of your creator
He made each one with a role to do, by you, no others
Will you be who you are, who you are made to be?

CHORUS
Who else would do? Who else can do the things that you do?
God made you amazing just the way you are.
Got something special to do, God gave a gift to each of you
God made you amazing just the way you are.

VERSE
Sometimes, sometimes we don’t do what we are meant to
We try, we try to be like others, forget who we are
We forget who we are, who we are meant to be

BRIDGE
But God loves us and made a way to start once again
To be who we’re meant to be, use our gifts for him.
So, it’s time to start again and use your gifts each day, you know He’ll say.


CHORUS
Who else would do? Who else can do the things that you do?
God made you amazing just the way you are.
Got something special to do, God gave a gift to each of you
God made you amazing just the way you are.

The way you are, the way you are
God made you amazing, just the way you are

CHORUS
Who else would do? Who else can do the things that you do?
God made you amazing just the way you are.
Got something special to do, God gave a gift to each of you
God made you amazing just the way you are.

Till Next Time!

Divorce and Remarriage

See here for a really helpful article on the subject

It's a tricky subject which I've always had a little issue with but I think that this article is really helpful. I think I'll have to get the book they get it from and do a little more reading until I make my 'final' decision but I'm quietly convinced.

What do you think?

Little One - Sophie Madeleine

Intro

E       C#m       E           B  E
Oooohh  Ooohhhh  Ooooohhh  Oooh Ooh


VERSE
C#m                                          B
Oh, little one I know you grow so bold and strong.. Ohh ohhh

C#m                                       B
Oh, beautiful there's no way you can go wrong... oohh oohh


CHORUS
    E
But tread in my footsteps follow my heel

C#m                             B
I'll provide a break, a shield ohh ohh

ohh ohh


VERSE
C#m                                              B
Oh, little one I know they'll be knocking at my door ohh...

C#m                                                     B
Oh, beautiful you'll go and you'll leave them wanting more...


CHORUS
     E    
But tread in my footsteps follow my heel

C#m                              B
I'll provide a break, a shield ohh ohh

C#m
Even when the cold wind's blowing right through

                                B
I'll cripple my back to shelter you....you...


BRIDGE

A             E            B
When they're calling your name

A      E                  C#m B
Don't forget what you're leaving

A            E          B            A
Cuz I'll be singing the same little song

E                       C#m  B
That I taught you this evening

A                E               C#m  B
By the fireside whilst you lay sleeping...

E
Little one..

E          C#m         E       B  E 
Ooooohhhh Oooohhhh  Oooohhhh Oooohhh


VERSE
C#m                                                B
Now my girl, you'll fall for the one who doesn't care... Oooh oohh

   C#m                                               B
And how he'll hold your heart, oh how he'll hold your stare


CHORUS
BRIDGE

Rocky and Balls: The Skills Song

Those that know me know that I love the Ukulele (although love doesn't transfer to skill :S). Rocky and Balls however are skilled musicians and song writers who I highly recommend you listen to. Here is one of my favourites: The Skills Song. Please check out their website.

Here are the lyrics and (really easy) chords in case you wish to join in:
P.S. Blogger automatically justifies everything so you'll have to work out where each chord goes, sorry. Easy enough though!

A
So you want to take her to the dance
A
And have a fairy tale romance
D
If you don't think you stand a chance
E7
here's how you'll get into her ... heart.

A D A (x2)

Chorus:
A D A
Girls like boys with skills
A D A
Girls like boys with skills
A D A
If you ain't got these, you ain't gonna please
D E7 A
Girls like boys with skills

A D A
You gotta have beard growing skills
A D A
You gotta have Facebook poking skills
A D A
You gotta have mo wearing skills
Bm E7
Love cake making skills

D A
You gotta have fire lighting skills
A D A
You gotta have wood working skills
A D A
You gotta have rope tying skills
Bm E7
Tent erecting skills

CHORUS

A D A
You gotta have seed sowing skills
A D A
You gotta have strong ploughing skills
A D A
You gotta have weed whacking skills
Bm E7
Cherry picking skills

D A
You gotta have snake charming skills
A D A
You gotta have beaver stuffing skills
A D A
You gotta have spider taming skills
Bm E7
Pussy cat stroking skills

CHORUS

Instrumental A D A (x3) Bm E7

CHORUS

A D A
You gotta have hole drilling skills
A D A
You gotta have screw driving skills
A D A
You gotta have lawn mowing skills
Bm E7
Lead pipe laying skills

CHORUS (Clap) A

Biblical storytelling

I love stories. There is something about a story well told that can touch one to the very core. I especially love hearing a story being told. I am convinced that stories are powerful and have a unique ability to touch, engage and even change people. For that reason I've been trying to gain a repertoire of good stories, particularly those with a moral that can be gained from it.

I'm currently reading "Oscar Wilde's Stories for All Ages". Each is introduced by Stephen Fry and are wonderful stories. I can recommend it highly, although each of the stories ends a little depressingly. I especially love 'The Happy Prince', 'The selfish Mermaid' and 'The Fisherman and the Mermaid'.

I'm also, as are most people, a fan of Aesop's fables. Another great source of stories is Youtube. There are modern stories as well as classic stories from all over the world, my favourite at the moment are Japanese and Native American stories. Here are two great stories:

The Wide Mouthed Frog


Why the Rabbit has a short tail


With that said there are a load of stories that are often passed over. Stories that have lasted millennia almost unchanged, that have survived occupation, genocide and spread across the world. I speak of course of Bible stories. The OT in particular is flush with stories as they survived as an oral tradition long before they were written down, although the NT has it's fair share.

Every week I go into the local school to do an assembly. This term their theme is 'Going for Goals' so we are looking at people God gave goals to. I've decided to join this with my love of stories and try to develop my story telling ability. So this morning I told the story of Moses. The funny thing is that when you tell someone that you are going to read a passage from the Bible their eyes glaze over and they switch off but when you tell the story of the prince who ran away from home after murdering a man, who came across a fiery bush that didn't burn and had a staff the turned into a snake, and who stood up to a wicked Pharaoh, then people love it. The kids this morning were gasping with shock, laughing with joy and saddened when the story finished. All that and they learnt something about God in the process.

Mark Griffiths, head of New Wine Kid's ministry, gave a lecture at New Wine 2010 (the only good part :S) and mentioned that in the past we struggled to find ways to make Bible stories interesting. Most people had heard them so many times that they seemed like old-hat. However, now most people in the UK are 3 generations removed from the church. This means that most kids don't go to church, nor did their parents and neither did their grandparents. This gives us an amazing opportunity to tell them these stories afresh. No longer is it the old, boring David and Goliath story but is now the amazing story of the boy who killed a giant with just a sling-shot. You can download a version of his evocatively titled talk, as well as a few other talks, here: One Generation from Extinction.

I look forward to furthering my skills in story telling. With that in mind, I look forward to the publication of "Teaching Through the Art of Storytelling: Creating Fictional Stories that Illuminate the Message of Jesus" in a proper medium. I.e. printed on paper like a book should be!

Till Next Time!