AMEN Programme Day 3

Wednesday morning and we were all at the Farm Central Offices early to travel by minibus to Kings Church, Medway.  Heading south, the rain gave way to drier weather.   I chatted to Desmond on my right and Rukundo on my left.  Soon the old subject came up of the emphasis on wisdom in the West and the dynamic of power in the global church.  Desmond said that in parts of Africa, witchdoctors, aware that they are losing influence, have declared themselves as Pentecostal pastors!   He mentioned that one recommendation from the previous afternoon's discussions was for the Trust finances to be committed to a small exec, and all the guys would abide by their determinations.  This is great, because we've wanted to share the decision making.

Rukundo opened up about his personal need for admin and pastorally-gifted men to join his leadership team.  He's come a long way since, last year in Tanzania, he shared his sense of inadequacy in the face of the challenges he was facing.   Here he is again at another point of need.  He'll be coming up to Sheffield some time after this week.  Stephen and I got our heads together over dates and an itinerary for the trip next Spring.  Daniel asked me about an acclimatisation programme for our J Gen taking part in projects.  This is all the benefit of prolonged time together.

Matthew and his team in Chatham greeted us warmly.  He gave us a quick look around the main facility before coffee.  His church is involved in many points of action in the local community.  It started 13 years ago with Caring Hands, a drop-in project just across the road.  Then the local Pentagon Court shopping mall was looking for charity to run an information point, so the church was donated a retail unit to set this up.  The Medway NHS Trust, impressed by the efficiency of Caring Hands (serving 200+ meals a day) invited the church to run two cafes out of their four Healthy Living Centres.  Most recently the Council Social Services have entrusted their £600,000 Local Welfare Fund to church staff to administer under a service contract.  Now they are discussing if they can run - again as a contract service - the family mentoring support department. 

In terms of church development, their membership has grown from 30 to 300 in Matthew's time (not exclusively under his leadership).  Sunday meetings are live-streamed and then edited down to DVD.  This year they've taken responsibility for a church in Gillingham, and will appoint an elder to be its pastor.  Matthew and his family, inspired by Jesus Fellowship's common purse commitment, have joined with others in community living. Their present need to for a bigger place to spread in to, and they're waiting for the outcome of a planning change of use on a property they've found.  Since we had guys from eight different nations with us, we need to mention 'Light the Way', the church's international activity.  Through this they install solar electricity systems for lighting and clean water.

With this background, we climbed back into the minibus for a whistle-stop tour, first to NHS Rainham.  Then we doubled back to the hoped-for community property.  We joined hands in prayers of faith for this to succeed.   Next it was Caring Hands, where to my astonishment they explained that annual harvest festival donations from 41 schools provide the bulk of their food needs for the daily meals and snacks.  Next door is the the present community accommodation: uncluttered and welcoming, and full up!  Finally we walked across the town centre to the shopping mall contact point; then back for lunch.

Of course, many questions.  Tim from London and Len from Brighton had joined us.  Matthew gathered us all in the main hall.  He introduced a couple who had previously been notorious trouble but had found Jesus and started a new life.   The he outlined the personal journey that lies behind the church's outward achievements.  This engaged both our understanding and our brotherly affection.   We're privileged to have Matthew and his team in Multiply.  They'll be with us at London day, too, in five weeks' time.

We'd overrun our schedule, but I don't think anyone minded or would have missed any of the richness.  As we tumbled out of the minibus at 8pm, Piet asked if we could have a lie-in before tomorrow's start.  Huw was adamant we shouldn't.  I called in at Skaino office to print some acclimatisation briefings.  I'm glad I still have a key.  Maybe I'll get a desk-space at Central Office after the reorganisation?

AMEN Programme Day 2

The brief cheering sunshine of the last two days had given way to steady rain.  I didn't envy the marquee team their de-rig take-down task at Cornhill.  The AMEN guys has assembled in the lounge at Living Stones where our apostolic team meets monthly.  We got straight down to business after a cup of tea.

We still needed to have an update from Mark, and he focussed on the growing interest in community he meets across Europe.  He likes feasts, rather than 'church' as a way to dissolve the tension between the cultures of the Kingdom and the world. 

Kelly and his team (Wilf and Dan) gave the morning focus on brotherhood.  He spoke of needing to share the burden of pastoral care, and of our own frailty.  One day he was doing practical jobs in a small room, with one bright central ceiling light.  Wherever he turned he found he was working in shadow.  So it is if our vision is only illuminated by our own perspective: the light is darkness.  Dan unpacked how covenant is alive with personal reality, not some distant formula or obligation.  Wilf spoke of leaders' vulnerability needing to be balanced by the integrity that means we don't circle round difficulties, but resolve them.

Jonny, Jason and Jenny reported back on their two J Gen projects in Kenya and Nigeria.  In Kenya 19 folks have been trained in the new workshop/college and 55 children helped in their school.  The Lagos school project didn't run so smoothly.  There's room for better planning, and we'll need to note this for India and Sierra Leone, and Zambia next year.  When we look back over two years in which we've initiated this aspect of Multiply, it's been a good start.

 After lunch, Piet gave on overview of Multiply Europe's developments.  Interest in the gospel has sprung up in several ways: pockets of life in the landscape of deadness; the opening up of eastern Europe that has brought poverty into the open; the spread of migrants who aren't infected by prevailing uninterest; the breakdown of society provoking the question where one may find community.  "Urban mission" is blossoming in new places, like Rotterdam.  He has a good perspective.

After this we left the AMEN guys to spend time together.  I nudged Gregory to produce a wish-list of half a dozen priorities for later discussion.  Stephen pinned me down to work out some dates for the Africa visit in Spring next year.

With time to spare before agape, I went to the Skaino office and knocked out the powerpoint for Thursday's session on future developments and initiatives.  There's plenty stirring.

AMEN/Power BHWE Festival

The marquee at Cornhill was patched up after high winds had ripped open some seams, and Saturday afternoon promised to be a calmer event.   Iain introduced and Mick welcomed all the AMEN guys present; Rukundo took the microphone.  He taught passionately and clearly from Ephesians 2 about three stages of development: babyhood, when the new believer is conscious of heavenly Father; growing up into consciousness of other believers as brothers and sisters; and maturity when one's will is set on God's glory.

In the evening both Daniel and Gregory had a spot.  Daniel spoke of an intelligent young businesswoman who found no answers in the church, and ended up under the influence of a popular Indian guru.  He introduced a simple song, "When God moves, He moves",  that had inspired his church's early years.  Gregory encouraged us to be people of power and to expect God's Fire.  This was good to hear, as we also had baptisms in the programme.  The guys were active in the response time, and spoke with many of the saints as they mingled around the meeting.

As the Sunday morning event was packed with church-related interaction, like receiving new members, it was the evening again before Stephen spoke.  Here I must allow a small moment of pleasure at the introductory video of the spontaneous Jesus march in Kitwe when Iain and I visited.  It just managed to catch the moment when the singing marchers re-entered the conference hall and the band seamlessly took up accompaniment so the whole place erupted with praise.  Magic.  Stephen urged us to go the second/extra mile despite discouragement, uncertainty and weariness.  He was in fine form, and Mick got him to pray as the response time followed.  This put the running order out of sync, but we'd prayed that holy chaos would be preferable to dead control!  

At the Alive Weekend, we'd missed our Monday morning testimony time.  But there was still some welcome sunshine around from Sunday, and Mark had arrived having motorcycled non-stop from Berne.  He spoke of the tragic death of his closest friend's younger daughter (in Thailand) and strong bonds of brotherhood community.  Desmond was also back with us, and spoke of being witnesses, both in the sense of the living voice of testimony to Jesus and being men committed to dying.  We prayed that Matthew, the missing member of the eight, would get his visa sorted out.

I'd booked to spend the evening at Wellspring with Colney, to plan the North India and Myanmar leg of our visit in September.  We'd been delayed in this for various reasons.  Nathan and Sam, the two younger guys travelling with Steve and I, rolled up too.  Originally Colney had wanted a Jesus Music Festival to coincide with Aizawl's Hindu harvest festival in November.  We somehow had to compensate for the disappointment caused by the change of date.  Colney warmed to possibilities when we showed him the video of Sam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIsWIwBCIPI).

Eventually we settled on a new plan, by which I would leave the guys in Mizoram a day earlier than previously intended to fly overnight to Yangon.  Colney would arrange for John Biak (in Myanmar) to organise the conference, while he'll stay in India to work with Nathan and Sam.  They'll also consider spending some time at the orphanage in Cuttack, Odisha, before flying straight back to UK.  Now I've got to work out how this sits with Daniel and Steve, and, of course, Huw.  Checking on www.rome2rio.com I found some the scheduled times have shifted since I tried to work out what may be viable, so the logistics are going to be an interesting challenge.  Colney also warned us that hotel rooms have doubled in price since Myanmar has "opened up".

Colney was yawning by 8.30pm (one in the morning by his body clock), so I headed back to Kings.  Tomorrow we gather for Day 2 of the official programme.

AMEN Programme Day 1

I was wearing three layers of fleece to combat the wind as I dashed from my lift into Northampton Jesus Centre.  Colney sat all day in a sporty hat, and Rukundo arrived in a borrowed wet-look padded zipper.   British weather!   I found the right room by following Stephen's infectious laugh.  I'd taken my guitar, just in case.  Iain had brought his, too.  I'd also taken my laptop.  Iain asked me if I knew how to set up a projector, as Pete, our star organiser, has been unwell.  Where would the world be without engineers? 

We had plenty of time to catch up with the personal news.  Gregory confirmed that he's officially been consecrated as a bishop in Kenya (on 4th May).  That puts an end to the private joke by which I address all the African guys with, "Hello bishop", when on the phone.  He told me he was relieved that the recent national elections hadn't produced the violence of the previous round.  Once we were underway, Huw gave an update on Multiply's progress through the eyes of the UK team.  The slow progress of the intern sponsorship scheme has been a drag.  He stressed that we want to see increasing partnership in developing the future vision. 

Colney led in an inspiration taken from the Exodus account of crossing the Red Sea.  He related how one of his missionaries in Odisha had come across an unbelieving family distraught over their son.  The young man had taken up with a girl whose family had declared him to be an unsuitable choice.  He'd swallowed as much poison as he could lay his hands on.  When discovered vomiting and in a bad way, he'd been declared beyond remedy by the medics.  Two hours later he'd died; whereupon the family had call in the missionary.  "You have your own faith", he'd challenged.  He offered a simple prayer that God would return his life, as the family surrounded, wailing that they'd become believers if their son revived.  He did, and they did!  

Then Desmond shared about the false gospels he's discerned that are pervading the four continents where he's spoken.  One famous preacher and miracle worker (in Ghana) was betrayed to be being supported by witchdoctors.   When he protested, one of the accusers challenged him to admit it, else he would turn him into a snake.   The preacher fell silent.  "The real gospel", Desmond told us, "Has the power to change lives into Christlikeness."  (He also corrected me about minibuses: it's not mutatu, but poda poda.)

The Jesus Centre Cafe did us proud with chicken and vegetable curry lunch.  For the first time I heard one of our delegates pronounce the food "too hot".  We can start to bland down again now.  Somebody must have heard my stage whisper that there was no bottled water or fruit juice for those who aren't addicted to gallons of tea, because some appeared by the end of the meal.

During the afternoon the guys gave individual reports on the the last year in each of their responsible countries.  Stephen is looking forward to a conference in Malawi next Spring, and the Lusaka group is doing well.  His Workaid carpentry, welding and tailoring project has been running for six month and has produced the first crop of "graduates".  Gregory gave a similar report about the new Uganda group.  His carpentry, IT and sewing project is looking for commercial opportunities, and they aim to launch a microfinance scheme.   He rounded off with a challenge that our own senior leadership are over-loaded, and having given training to our rising generation, should now give them real work.

Iain and Emmaline updated us on the last year in Multiply UK, where we've managed to make a visit to partners nearly every month.   Rukundo described his Kigali radio ministry as "shelling" the region, followed up by visits to new groups as his "ground assaults".  His description of the tensions under which his group in Goma (DRC) operates, and the challenge to overcome tribal violence by the peace of the new creation held us all in awe.  Finally Daniel spoke of the "Candles in the Desert" prayer initiative in UAE, and his successful October conferences in Bangalore and Kerala.

"A rich day", Piet commented as he drove home.  We'd just heard that the marquee had been damaged by the day's high winds, and the customary Friday evening BHWE Festival meeting cancelled.  Back at Kings, Steve had put the heating on.  After last night's windchill in his bedroom I may need my fleeces tonight, too.

Apostolic Men Empowering the Nations

The biennial AMEN conference starts this week.  Eight Multiply leaders will arrive by Friday: Matthew from Nigeria, Desmond from Sierra Leone, Gregory from Kenya, Rukundo from Rwanda, Stephen from Zambia, Daniel from UAE, Colney from India, and Mark from Switzerland.  Their interests all also extend to surrounding countries.  I've met - and shared conferences - with five of them, on their home turf.  Brilliant.  Two years ago we took a big move forward and set up a Fund to share resources and decisions to move the Network forward.  This year we want to build on this partnership foundation.

Western Christians have earned a reputation for "gospel colonialism" in their approach to global churches.  The first world - in any manifestation - just doesn't grasp how arrogant it comes across.  Now I don't go along with the thesis that all our wider Empire - and later Commonwealth - involvement has been a disaster.  In fact, a lecturer I met in Delhi insisted that the foundation for modern India was laid by British legislation.  It meant they could trade on a par with rest of the world.  He also provocatively added that, in this regard, the British did more for India in 90 years than 900 years of previous Muslim administration had achieved. 

Then I met the contrary opinion, and somewhat more formally, in Zambia.  At the national museums, in both Lusaka and Livingstone, an unfavourable comparison was drawn between the typical standards of living before and after independence in 1964.  I understand the political desire to assert a positive self-identity for the people of a recently-emergent nation.  And the  battle for self-government wasn't pretty.  But it seemed too easy a pass-off to imply that everyone would otherwise still be living in destitute squalor.  (They have a more pressing current issue in engaging with China.)

Well, it makes it clear that we need to move with humility.  A pastor (also in Delhi) explained that Westerners - especially Christians -  wishing to do something for the plight of the disadvantaged should place their generosity in the hands of local on-the-ground churches.  He was preparing us for heart-tugging sight of beggars, street kids, and the like.  So, that's what we seek to do with Multiply.  My plea with the guys is, "Please don't take everything in the church in the West uncritically."

I've been busy researching how to get a minibus to Freetown, Sierra Leone.  It's Desmond's no1 priority from quite a bunch of projects he has ambitions to promote.  First we'd need to get him a suitable vehicle.  Although we run a over 40 Transits, the technology has got so baffling that you wonder if a decent de-fleeted one would do any favours.  The standard Toyoto mutatu, fixable with hammer and screwdriver, may be a more durable offering than Ford's drive-by-wire engine management system.  Desmond must decide!

There's an option to book half a container and just export direct from UK.  This is over £3,000, and you feel it must be more sensible to add it to the donation so they can simply source a vehicle in Africa.  Problem is, some things aren't available at any price.  Or, you can drive to Algeciras or Tarifa and ferry over to Tangier.  Then you take the coastal road (N1) right round Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, and Guinea.  "And ideal job for some retired bod", quoted Kelvin, the transport guru from Darlington.  Google says 4,250 miles; 80 hours of driving.  I also found a ferry route from Lisbon into Freetown if we want to half-and-half it.  You can fly back from Freetown for £250.  We're going to have fun with this one.

Gregory and Daniel have already arrived, and Rukundo told me he flies today (Wednesday); Colney arrives on Friday.  I'm intending to stay around in Northants/Warwickshire for the duration, ending up taking the Sunday meeting in Coventry on 2nd June. 

Ethics

James chased me about an email drawing attention to his recent blog.  It ruminated on the difference between personal morality and social ethics.  He asked the question, "Do we overconcentrate on the first to the detriment of the latter?"  The clothing factory fire disaster in Dhaka had got him thinking.  He has a friend who undertakes quality inspection for textiles imports, so it was close to home.

"Yea," I offered, sipping from my Leaders Day polystyrene cup.  "I went on this Green workshop in Leeds.  When delegates arrived, they were given a regular mug and told, 'You can make drinks any time during the day, so hang on to your mug, and wash it up.'  Don't know why we can't do that."  (I do, but I still find the vast quantity of 'disposables' waste our events create, excessive.)

James obviously had clothing in mind.  I was on my soapbox again.  "I refused to buy another London Day teeshirt when we brought out the new design.  For a start, the one I had was still colour-fast, and second, I was suspicious where the new ones were sourced from at the price."  (James assured me that our Resources team do check sources.)  I'd explained how I felt to our household when we were compiling the order list at Agape.  They just went, 'Duh.'  PDCMs (Poor Deprived Community Members) - 'Why wouldn't you buy a new teeshirt when you're allowed to?'  If I hadn't been able to go off into the back kitchen and wash the pans, I think I'd have banged my head against the wall.  Sickened by consumerism.  People just find me odd.

Perhaps I should declare my credentials.  I'm a Chartered Environmentalist.  That came about because my professional Engineering Institution invited members to record their contributions to sustainability.  I wrote a nice CV piece about Atmos high efficiency and renewable energy, and my reflections on how Christians had generally failed to enter the debate.  They signed me up.  My roots into the Green movement go back a long way, to just after Gordon Rattray Taylor's 1968 book The Biological Timebomb, subsequent to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring.  (Mick knew his daughter in Coventry.)

However, I don't read in the New Testament that even though the church works in the world, its systemic problems deriving from sin, injustice, inequality, violence and greed get overthrown wholesale.  By definition, the devil and fallen humanity create a cosmos perfectly tuned to keep people trapped.  Peter's Pentecost sermon invited his hearers to escape its corruption (specifically the contemporary widespread rejection of Jesus as Messiah). 

I fear that the present magnified focus on William Wilberforce may sell short the full account and direction of the gospel's impact in that period of our history.  Do I hear a rallying call motivated as much by the loss of public reputation as a desire to draw today's church into a conscience-led path of sacrificial world-indifference?  And I know there's George Otis Jnr's very popular Transformation video series.  They are testimony to a measure of social and environmental redemption that was an out-turn of the church seeking the Kingdom of God, not an initial objective.

I don't want to throw water on a friendly bonfire.  We do serve Fairtrade drinks in the Jesus Centre.  White and Bishop/E-Outdoor stocks a range of ethical clothing.  Atmos won a special mention in the Ethical Consumer Directory.   I've testified in many immigration residency appeal cases, and borne abuse for it.   And I like the comment, "The most ethical document you've got in your home is your bank statement." 

But things aren't idealistic.  We made a valiant attempt to turn our church/community vehicle fleet more green friendly with advanced diesel engines.  When we suffered innumerable instances of saints filling up with four-star petrol and wrecking the said units, we realised this wasn't going to work.  One brother managed to do it three times.

So maybe ethical responsibility starts with more emphasis on the responsibility than the ethical?  And it's doomed to remain the province of a highly self-actualised and principled minority.  Which is sad.