Lord,
I’ve been thinking about
Your healing ministry.
Before you say anything
I believe in it.
I know you heal people.
Thing is,
I ‘m just checking,
do you expect us to be involved?
Should we leave room in every service for this ministry?
Should we advertise it?
Are there any techniques we should learn?
Like laying on hands,
using oil,
power words – you know the kind of thing?
I was also wondering where the doctors fit in?
I’m sure your aware Lord,
of the great strides we have made in medical science.

Sorry, Lord,
I forgot,
you also include the sciences as part of your ministry.
Well some people think that we don’t really need the faith healing
now that you’ve developed medical science.

You look puzzled Lord?
Oh you want me to listen carefully.
I’m listening.
You don’t expect us to put one ministry in competition with the other.
You want us to listen more to your Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit who empowers.
All healing stems from your grace, even medical ones!
Your saving grace is always displayed.
Some healing demands prayer and fasting,
but not as a condition, more as a means of drawing close to you.
However, you will make it plain when it is required,
and we have to keep in close touch with you.

Right got it!
Healing goes beyond physical healing.

What was that you said Lord ?
Death itself is the final healing

So I take it, you expect us to be involved in
the healing ministry? – Cool !

For a number of years now we have been developing our expertise in creative ways to use technology in worship. We have been encouraging church leaders to embrace technology. However there is a need for training and theological reflection on the whole issue. In this short article I hope some dialogue could lead to a development that will help church leaders out there understand the purpose and scope of their communication.
There is little doubt that we are in the midst of a communication revolution that is having far reaching effects on the lives of individuals and local communities. The rolling out of broadband into more and more localities around the world means that there is going to be virtually nowhere in the world where you cannot access internet.

As more churches embrace the potential of this digital revolution in technology we also need to be aware of its limitations and dangers as well as its amazing potential to engage our attention when worshipping. There is a new kind of entertainment that is almost synonymous with electronic media and technology. It has been this technological entertainment that first caused me to think about a theology of entertainment.
We have at our fingertips, thanks to the advances in computer technology, the ability to create and display in public for all to see any image or sound we desire. This raises the whole issue of imagery in worship. It calls use back to the first commandment inviting us to once again engage with the texts of ancient scripture and re-evaluate what it means to worship God in an electronic age.
Like past generations the seeds of our spiritual demise may well be found in the seduction of our own cleverness. If we are going to use electronic media within the context of worshipping communities, we also have to ask questions of ourselves in order that we understand the principles and the drivers that are taking us down a particular route. It is not enough to embrace electronic media because we can.
The reasoning must go deeper and to find these reasons we may have to wrestle with ourselves and ask searching questions relating to our motives and intensions. A screen and a projector is no easy fix to falling church attendance. If it is about looking modern, up- to-date and ‘switched on’, we have created a rod for our backs. Always remember the software and computer will be out of date six months after the purchase. Other issues will centre around freedom and control. Who owns the words and the image on the screen? Should the worshipper not bring his or her own imagination to worship? Is the Spirit of God being usurped by a computer generated image?
Writers and film makers have been exploring these themes of word over image and social decay, for many decades. Its time the church began to address some of these questions in the light of the visual language that is now more readily available to its ministers. Some of the questions will relate to the church in general others will demand a more personal response.
Have we become the slaves to the technology we have created? Have we made ourselves a series of electronic gods that we now watch and listen to endlessly? Are we now introducing them into the place of worship? Will our appetite for gadgetry that entertains be a parable for another civilisation after our present one disappears? Will our 21st century become known in history as the folly of a hi – tech society that could communicate instantly with the masses to entertain or control, but ignored the personal needs of the individual. Will this be our doomsday scenario – the death of humanity through a hi-tech world.
I believe we need to engage with these big questions without becoming iconoclasts, or iconifiers. I am convinced the time has come for a theology of entertainment to be articulated. It is even more important now because we are seeing the rise of a Christian sub – culture that is almost certainly mirroring pop culture in an attempt to communicate the gospel. Out of this culture there arises all sorts of issues that seem to be in conflict with the gospel it seeks to promote.
One area that has never been addressed theologically is the gospel implications of registering copyright for worship material be it songs, film, or liturgy. Can anyone say they own the rights of material that has been written for the communal worship of Almighty God? Then there is the increasing use of copyright material being used in worship settings. Can worship be authentic if the material being used has not been granted permission for use in public ? I believe answers can be found to all these questions but they need to be thought out biblically and they may require lawful agreements to be drawn up to allow a creative dialogue to develop between the world of the arts and the Christian Church.

Do you know-God Protested!
He’d had enough.
He looked at the way the world was
and is
and will be.
(Well God can do that sort of thing.)
And he said,
that’s it
they’ve gone too far
they’ve stretched the limit
they’re unbelievable!

He overheard,
preachers,
prophets,
politicians,
all talking about peace
but each fighting their own personal war.
God said I’m going to Protest.
Look at the greed,
look at the hurt,
look at the lies,
look at the shame.
They’ve all missed the point.
Lost the plot.
Forgotten the plan.
That’s it,
the world is burst
it’s my ball.
So God protested.
He cried.
tears of anger
tears of sadness
tears of pain
tears of love.
Just like a rainbow.
and God’s protest
was ignored.

So God decided on
another protest.
He used
words
spoken and written by
prophets,
poets,
and ordinary people.

Still his protest
fell on deaf ears
it wasn’t heard
it was drowned out
by the noise of other voices.

Then God
made
his final
protest.
He took to the streets
he came into
the world
Himself
He took it all into himself.

The sin,
the Water,
the Spirit,
the flesh,
the baby,
the man,
the cross.
the resurrection.

He did it all in protest,
out of love,
and called it,
REDEMPTION!

Last week I was invited to give some advice to the Local Community Council regarding the ceremony for the opening of the ‘Bo’ness Wheel’. They along with some other organisations have commissioned a memorial to commemorate the role the town of Bo’ness has played in shaping the mining industry in Scotland. Did you know that Bo’ness was the first place where mining was carried out commercially in Scotland? It was the monks who developed the first mine. Perhaps that is why I was there. Maybe I was representing my monkish predecessors in the town. Anyway it looks as though the 26 May 2007 is going to be a really good day out.

Of course there are no mines left in Bo’ness. Today the town is becoming famous for its views and popular with property speculators. Last year it was regarded as the best place to buy property in the whole of Scotland. It was also voted second best place in the whole of the UK. This is due to the impending 200 million pound foreshore development, which incidentally, I’m told starts this week.

So you see there are exciting times ahead of us here in Bo’ness not least the vision and calling that God has given to many of us here in St Andrew’s to continue to establish a community of faith using technology to reach the world for Christ. One of these days I’ll share with you our exciting plans for the redevelopment of the church buildings. As the town of Bo’ness has become the flagship for Falkirk District Regeneration plans , so we at Bo’ness St Andrew’s have our own regeneration programme.

So you want to know how Sunday evening’s theme “Blood on the Street” worked out? Well, I’m glad I didn’t abandon the idea of making a communion film. We produced three original little videos for the service, along with some additional footage we had from previous occasions. The focus of the service was around the struggle that is within us all, between right and wrong. There is an interesting little verse in Genesis 4.12 where evil is described as crouching at the door of our lives almost waiting to overpower us.

Here is a prayer I wrote to reflect something of the struggle we all endure. This Christianity is serious stuff. It challenges every aspect of our being. A prayerful life brings us to the place where we are forced to reflect on our lives and the consequences our actions can have on others. Here is a clip from our service this evening. Click Here

I think the idea of Jesus the warrior saviour makes a lot of sense to me. I know I have my own personal struggles, dealing with that part of me that would pull me down into the abyss. However to believe in my heart that the cross of Jesus is all about struggle,is a great encouragement to me. It was a costly struggle though, one in which he took on the forces of darkness. He stood and fought evil. He stood to fight for me. This idea to me is overwhelming. Here is a thought, the cross became a battlefield in which Jesus took on all the dominion of evil and defeated it. It is the resurrection that allows us to understand the cross in this light. If there was no resurrection then there is no forgiveness of sins. Now if sins can’t be forgiven then we are all in a sorry state.

For me the marvelous power of the gospel is that we can be forgiven, we are forgiven! For me the refreshing significance of all this is, I have been reminded that the cross belongs out on the street. Its real power is not hanging on a church wall but when it is out there in the world. It was there that the blood of Christ flowed. In the middle of a rubbish dump, while the world looked on and passed by; Jesus the saviour of the world fought for our redemption.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could encourage more ministers to take the bread and the wine out into the streets and remind the world that they have a Saviour. So lets encourage ministers all over Scotland to take to the streets this Good Friday and speak of the love that brought about’ Blood on the Street” Hope you enjoy this video. The music took a while to find but it was worth waiting for it. CLICK HERE

Interesting to see how the new film Amazing Grace has caught the headlines. There are a number of interesting clips on the above web site worth looking at. The whole issue of slavery is something we should all be concerned about. Its not so much that we apologise for the deeds of past generations, its more important that we all do something about the situation today. All over the world people are being bought and sold into slavery. The Church Times has an interesting article. I know from the stories I’ve heard in peru the trade is literally worldwide. Its always the children who come off worst.

Anyway I thought some of you might be interested to know that our studio team have just completed our latest commission from Learning Teaching Scotland. The film is to be used as part of the teaching materials to be used to show Scotland’s roll in the whole slavery issue. It’s the story of ‘Indian Peter’ a fascinating tale that gives a new insight into the whole issue of slavery here in Scotland. It wasn’t just Africans that were sold into slavery. Did you know that thanks to the persistence of one called Peter Williamson, a group of traders were convicted and jailed.

Williamson who was sold as a slave himself in 1728, and eventually found his way back to Scotland after a life of dangerous adventure and mishap in the colonies. It was Williamson who eventually uncovered in 1743 that over 600 children had been sold into slavery from the Port of Aberdeen including himself. Its a great story.Williamson ended up suing the the men who had kidnapped him, and became wealthy as a result.

We hope to have a premier of our 12 minute movie within the next few weeks. I must say that we are indebited to Alec Shuttleworth who wrote the script and plays Peter and to young Jack his son for his part as young Peter. I also must say that Iain and Colin Jamieson have once again made a great soundtrack. Rae Manger our film editor has made a great wee movie. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to put a trailer up. If I am, I’ll do it one night next week.

Well we started filming in Edinburgh this afternoon. We had quite an interesting reception. Put the table out with the bread and wine. Guess what? People stopped and read the notice. I overhead one young guy say to his pal, “that’s all about Jesus, he’s sound”. Another young woman came up to me and asked what we were doing? I told her we were taking the bread and the wine outside the church for the people on the street. She thought I meant homeless people. “No”, I said, ” Do you not get it? It was for you he was broken, its for people like you on the street.” The penny dropped, she waved her hand in front of her mouth and nose, I don’t know if she was holding back the emotion. ” I get it now”, she said as she turned and walked away.

I think there is more faith on the streets than we imagine. Oh and one other little incident. We left Bo’ness without our printed notice, saying ‘This is my body broken for you’. I decided to go into an office in Rutland Square and ask for assistance. It was quite an interesting conversation, I had with the receptionist. I asked if she would print out an A4 sheet with the words,’this is my body broken for you’. The lady tried to explain her difficulty in delivering the request. I reminded her of the great difficulty that Jesus faced on the cross, in comparison I was asking of her very little. She smiled asked her boss who appeared, and shortly the notice was being printed. I think there is a sermon there in that little incident. ‘Blood on the street’, is turning out to be quite an interesting little theological project. Just to give you a flavour of the afternoon’s work here is a wee clip I prepared earlier.
CLICK HERE

Here I am still struggling with the context of Sunday evening’s service. It’s at this point that I wish I had never called the service “Blood on the street”. Someone commented on the theme last night, “Oh that’s an attractive title for a service”, what they were really saying was , “that’ll pack them in.” And then Maggie (our minister in training), this morning, looked up from her desk and said, “Oh your doing ‘Blood on the street’ boss, this Sunday, I’m looking forward to that one.” Now I’m recalling a telephone conversation with a colleague yesterday morning,( he’s a friend who lives in Edinburgh, with a creative theological streak), I thought I’d run the idea of a street communion by him, he’s usually quite supportive. Only, this time he was polite but hesitant. I don’t think he warmed to ‘Blood on the street’, He was really not very supportive when I told him my plans to film a communion service on the street and use it all as part of our alternative worship experience.

It was an interesting conversation that strayed into what it is we do when we have communion. It also raised the whole issue of celebrating communion in someone else’s parish. Indeed would it be more authentic to be done in Bo’ness rather than using a busy city street as a backdrop. Of course the more obvious question, who is communion for, is it right to place it on the street, offering it to those who pass by?

I knew where he was coming from. Where does the film maker in me stop and the worship leader begin? Where do you draw the line and understand that your idea is more about the idea, and its execution,( pardon the pun),than the message the idea relates? It’s the old Marshall McCluan quote, “the medium is the message,” and he was right.

Maybe the timing isn’t right for a street communion this week. Maybe Good Friday, would be a better time. Maybe its something that every minister should think about, this Easter. Imagine if we all took the bread and the wine out on the street.

One colleague has alerted me to an interesting little film centred around this idea. I think we’ll work through some of these issues and come up with something that will challenge us all this Sunday. I’ve a song in mind and a film to make somewhere tomorrow. Could it be Falkirk, Glasgow or Edinburgh ? I’ll sleep on it. However one thing still disturbs me. Why is it that we shy away from the title. Its too violent, I think we want our communion to be kept in the right place on the table in the sanctuary behind the safety of our church walls. The truth is the act that has brought about our redemption took place in the middle of a busy rubbish dump. I think, I’m almost certain there was blood on the street that day.

I thought I better get back into telling the story of our visit to India in 2005 so that we can encourage those of you who have booked your flights for India this year. So where was I ? Oh yes we were preparing to have some time doing a bit of sight seeing round Chennai. We knew our sight seeing days wouldn’t last long but we were looking forward to a day of adventure and challenge. This perhaps was the day that Crocodile Bo’ness would emerge! It would certainly be a hot hot day!

On this occasion we were up on time Martha was determined Alfred wouldn’t need to knock on the door again. After breakfast we waited for the hired car and driver to arrive. The man arrived it looked as though it was a Ford Escort he was driving. Anyway he arrived dressed with skip cap ready to be our guide and driver. We drove out of Madras through the busy streets and about an hour later were passing a crocodile park. The driver felt this was a place we should see so we were duly ushered into a reptile Zoo. We paid our money and the attendant gave us a guided tour. In 1976 three of the five types of crocodiles in india wee in danger of becoming extinct. Hunters were after their skins and the habits where they lived had also been changed because of the building of dams. Our guide was please to tell us that 14 out of the 23 world species of crocs were here in Chennai.

He showed us a huge area that had over 300 crocodiles in the swamp area. We also saw some fish and turtles on the way out We passed two crocs fighting. I was mightily impressed to see the attendant fetch a huge pole with a hook on the end. He then stood up and reached over the fence and began to deliver a number of serious blows to one of the crocs with the hook. At last the great jaws loosened their grip on its fellow creature and slithered off into the swamp. Have a look at a short clip of the Crocodile Bank. Crocodile Bank.

We had left the flat just after 8.00 am and it must have been around 10.00am in the morning. The day was beginning to heat up, there was a grey haze in the atmosphere the trees at the side of the Zoo looked brittle and dry and the roads we would travel would be full of pot holes, but we were going to be tourist in India for a few days, before we too would move into the areas of conflict and feel the challenge of facing people who in themselves were brittle and broken from the effects of the Tsunamia.

What you think about gadgets?
I was wondering
what you make of the
gadgets we have today?
Are you a gadget person?
Do you approve of technology?
For instances,
mobile phones,
computers,
cars,
mp3s,
ipods,
and shuffles.

Some of the disciples
don’t approve.
They say
we should sell them all?
Give them up,
give the money to the poor?
But then they still have
electricity
for their toasters
their shavers
their kettles.
So they confuse me.

Lord,
I do feel guilty,
when I look at all the stuff I have.
I don’t know what I’m going to do with it.
You know
when
my time is up.
I guess it won’t be my problem,
but I do worry about it.

So much more I could have done
So little time – to do what’s left.

Lord,
I think you just might be a gadget man.
After all you made us,
and does that not imply
a level of ingenuity or gadgetry?
We truly are wonderfully made.