Stepping Out

“Not in goals, but in transitions are people great” (Emerson)

The bible records numerous key moments in the history of God’s people which mark a transition point. The book of Exodus records one such a miraculous moment when the sea parted as Moses raised his staff and stretched out his hand. The book of Joshua begins with another dramatic crossing over. In this instance a key difference was that Joshua told the priests when they reached the edge they had to take a step of faith and get their feet wet before they saw the miracle – this was at a time when the river was in full flood!

It is easy to have a passive ‘sit and see’ approach to life but God intends us to be a people on the move who follow him as those who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. It feels as though this is one such moment for courage in our journey as a College. God is increasing our trust in him as we choose to let go of the old in order to embrace the new and in so doing step from good to great.

New directions ...

Our daily prayer pattern as a College includes the following: “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known. We thank you for heroes of the faith who have gone before us and who in this city, lit such a candle that has not been put out. Help us to walk these same streets with faith and courage, being salt and bringing light”.

One man who has gone before us in the city of Oxford is CS Lewis. To mark the 60th anniversary of the Chronicles of Narnia in partnership with Paternoster Press we are hosting a special CS Lewis conference on Saturday 27th November. Entitled New Directions with keynote speaker Michael Ward it promises to be a fascinating day as we explore CS Lewis' imagination and inspiration in writing the Chronicles of Narnia and launch Michael's new book which unlocks the secrets of Narnia. There will be activities for all the family so bring along children (0s-11s) for a fun-packed Narnia Day!

Visit www.kbctc.org/cslewis for more information and to book your place

Undefended leaders

Distant valleys long remembered, grassy fields ploughed up and plundered,
Turbulent seas, foreboding skies, hills that beckon, a mountain to climb

Drawn into the Shepherd’s fold, inside warmth, outside cold
A table prepared, a place to dwell, heaven’s bread, time to fill

Unwrapped hearts, unpacked souls, lives are shared, stories told
Hidden heartbreak soon discovered, undisturbed now lies uncovered

Violent storm tugging deeply, tender words touching truly
Piercing pain, cleansing rain, landscapes shaped, windswept change

Plunged in darkness, coal black night, heaven's sun, breaking bright
Threat is foiled, foes are rattled, peace is found in communal chapel

Small steps made, giant leaps abound, long-held fears are swept aground
Outstretched hand, an unveiled place, safely known, met with grace

Undefended, redefined, fresh surrendered hope-filled life
Setting sail, free to fly, distant shores, horizon beckons

Searching for a thin place ... be bald!

This week our leadership team is off to Ffald-y-Brenin, a house of prayer in west Wales where there are some wonderful things happening under an ‘open heaven’. Early Celtic Christians described places where heaven and earth intensely intersect and interact as ‘thin places’, witnessing that there are locations or events in life where the dividing line between the holy and the ordinary blurs to the point that the ordinary becomes holy and the holy becomes ordinary.

God’s intention has always been to make his presence known within the sphere of earth, to dwell among his people and for us to dwell with him. There are countless biblical references to this: Jacob saw angels going to and fro on a ladder between heaven and earth; Moses took off his sandals when he discovered he was standing on holy ground. Indeed, a considerable part of the Exodus story is devoted to the description of the tabernacle, a holy tent where God dwelt in the middle of his people. The main focus of Israelite belief in the overlap of heaven and earth became the temple in Jerusalem, the place where God dwelt. The Apostle John gained a glimpse into heaven through an open door and described the sense of overlap between heaven and earth ultimately expressed in God sending his Son, fully divine and fully human, who tabernacled among us and who now indwells his people, a living temple, by his Holy Spirit.

The question for us today is not ‘where is God’? but rather ‘where isn’t he’? God is not confined to tents, houses or temples, the whole earth is full of his glory and in humility he makes himself wholly available to humanity. We can meet God anytime, anyplace, anywhere. And yet busyness, countless meaningless distractions and the noise levels of modern life make it difficult to dwell. We become limited by our sameness and our schedules, yet there are no limits with God! As a group of ordinary people gather to eat, drink, pray, laugh and learn together I’m expecting to encounter some extraordinary things ‘on earth as it is in heaven’.

Off the beaten track ...

Our 10th year in Oxford is now well underway and we are finding our rhythm together with a fantastic group of new students. In many ways there is a warm familiarity to the pattern of the College year although each year-group proves to be very distinct, people whom God has gathered to walk together for a period of formation. Amidst the familiar routine God has been speaking about the need for us to explore the unfamiliar.

One of the key recurring images God has spoken about in recent years is that of a mountain climb. At times the journey has been tiring, painful and has seemed relentless but we can't expect a mountaintop experience without being prepared to put in the work required to get to the summit.

At the beginning of the academic year God spoke again about the same mountain but encouraged us that there were different aspects to explore through taking a different track, the narrow way, and that we should be prepared to encounter some rugged terrain which was off the map leading to us discovering something new.

I'm excited and invigourated by the process of exploration and when content to settle for what is I'm grateful to be following God who has vision for his people to find more expansive places in him and faithfully leads us there - here's to pressing on ...

Farewell

We have recently said farewell to our current crop of students culminating in an amazing commissioning service on Saturday catapulting them into God’s purposes.

In the lead up to this we spent a significant amount of time preparing to say goodbye, secure in the knowledge that someone else has gone before us and prepared the way. John 15-17 records Jesus talking about the leaving process as he took time to prepare himself and his followers for his farewell. The common theme uniting these chapters is prayer. Jesus prays. Firstly for himself, then his disciples, then all believers. Done well, endings complete and provide a firm foundation for moving on.

The student’s leaving process mirrors our own walk with God as we approach a new chapter in the life of KBCTC. In September we will be offering a fully validated Certificate course in Theology and Ministry which represents a significant step change in the life of the College. We’re spending this summer prayerfully seeking God’s presence in different ways in readiness for this change which is both exciting and daunting. We’re also taking time to remember and rehearse our story, which is really the story of God’s goodness, faithfulness, leadership and guidance of KBCTC over the last 25 years.

This is our ‘crossing over’ moment as we take a step into the gap between the promise of the future and the reality of the here and now. How do we know we’re on track? Joshua 3:4 sums it up pretty well - you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before, more adventures await us!