The sound of silence

Recently I felt God prompt me about cultivating stillness amidst the silliness of busyness. This links with the theme of ‘soaking’ we have for this year which, if I’m honest, has ebbed and flowed at various points so I’m grateful for the opportunity to respond more fully to God’s word during this season of lent.

Ah, the sound of silence … well, not quite. Much of life seems non-conducive to stillness - trips to organise, deadlines to meet, papers to prepare, meetings to manage, rehearsals for a gig on Saturday night, preparations to preach on Sunday morning, three lively children, mmm not exactly tranquil! Maybe its just been a normal week and I’ve simply been more aware of the swirl of daily activity and of running just to stand still.

Amidst the silliness I’ve started to stop and have taken time to wander along willow walk, rest by the river and generally started to turn down the volume of my personal soundtrack which all too easily blocks out heaven’s song and tune in to God’s still small voice. Dietrich Bonhoeffer once said ‘let none expect from silence anything but a direct encounter with the Word of God’. I’m finding initially that the quietness is in a way disquieting as silence makes room for God to highlight patterns in life which need to change, exposes sin which needs to be confronted and released from and brings insight into who I really am.

Psalm 46 continues to be on my mind, amidst much shifting and shaking in our world God calls us to ‘be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth’. We live in a world which is dying for the rest of God and I have started to realise that stillness is really about trusting in God’s greater plans rather than busily working out our own schemes and in so doing recognising who really is God. Its about being still enough to think anew, to set our sights on the right horizon and hear him whisper words of life. Walter Lavage Sandor called solitude ‘an audience chamber with God’ and it is this I continue to seek in stillness.

Path finders

Last weekend hundreds of gathered for our annual leaders conference in Oxford, the theme was 'into all the world'. We were hugely blessed and provoked through the ministry of Heidi Baker, Len Bartlotti and Malcolm Duncan. The themes we touched on were timely as from New Zealand to North Africa these are days of much shaking and shifting in the earth, nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall, the mountains are trembling, its a time for change.

Going 'into all the world' requires movement which will take us beyond our current borders into unknown places among unreached faces. Fresh opportunities are opening up for those who are willing to explore beyond our current boundaries, its time for the pioneer path finders to step forth.

At the conference, Andy Au, a gifted dancer, helped us to prophetically embody 'crossing over' the Jordan into the land of promise. This was a precious and profound moment for us as a College as we have carried these verses from the book of Joshua in our hearts on our travels for a number of years now. At times the waters have seemed impassable and the current circumstances overwhelming yet we continue to fix our eyes on the hope that lies ahead. At the moment it feels as though we have moved out and are standing in the river waiting for the miraculous. Having set foot in the Jordan, got our feet wet, we are seeking to stand firm until everyone has crossed over.

My prayer echoes the song of the psalmist: "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth". The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Explorations

Having visited Ffald-y-Brenin (sheep fold of the king) in the autumn, this weekend some of us journeyed to L'Abri in search of shelter. Founded in Switzerland in 1955 by Francis and Edith Schaeffer to show forth by demonstration in life and work the existence of God, their legacy lives on in communities around the world who are committed to the truth that God is involved in every aspect of our day.

We joined in the daily rhythm of work and study, getting our hands dirty gardening providing a chance to reflect and enjoy God's creation, a visiting korean choir lifting our hearts in worship, and dinner table discussions engaging our heads in fresh ways of thinking. The community is comprised mainly of 'students' seeking answers to life's big questions in a context which believes that truth must be demonstrated as well as debated.

Some of us have been thinking about the importance of the environment in which we study theology and the warm welcome, conversation around the meal table and reading in front of a roaring fire provided a wonderful context in which to wrestle with life's questions.

A new era

Renaming

What’s in a name? In many cultures a name speak of the nature and character of a person, is informed by circumstances surrounding birth and express hopes, aspirations and expectations. Names inform us about the present and form future direction.

King’s Bible College (KBC) was birthed in 1983 to train men and women in the Word of God. Different people have been entrusted with this task on the ground but it has always been The King’s college and set apart for his purposes.

In 2001 the College moved to Oxford and with the addition of ‘Training Centre’ to the name we became KBCTC (try saying it really fast, it’s a bit of a tongue twister!). This marked a shift in the nature of the practical training we were offering, a marriage of theology and ministry, of ‘thinking theologically, living reflectively and making a difference in the world’.

In September 2011 KBCTC is being renamed as King’s Theological College (KTC) a moment to mark and recognise who we have become and to reflect our current emphasis … a distinctive 10 month immersion in both Word and Spirit leading to in-depth character formation in the context of a passionate worshipping community who are pursuing wisdom, transforming heads, hearts and hands, forming healthy habits and connecting theology with all of life. As we seek to live up to our name we’re excited about entering a new era, the journey continues!

Sing!

"When we are normal we talk, when we are dying we whisper, but when there is more in us than we can contain, we sing!" (Eugene Peterson)

Jacob Generation

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by what is false. They will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God their Saviour. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob (Psalm 24).

Rise up Jacob generation!

Priests, prophets and pioneers

It was great to meet up again with the Class of 2006/07 for a retreat at the ‘House of the Open Door’ and to spend time sharing the stories of our lives since being together at College.

Four years on this incredible group are as determined as ever to keep pressing on and we encouraged one another to keep putting one foot in front of the other in pursuit of new ground.

We celebrated some of the mountaintop experiences since leaving college (marriages, new jobs, churches planted, children born) and also God’s presence in the valleys amidst life’s pain, difficulties and challenges (the death of loved ones, divorce, unfulfilled dreams).

The testimony of many was that times of uncertainty and transition become places of transformation as we continue to wrestle with God and that he honours us in the struggle as we cling to him. I’m grateful that our lives remain intertwined and can’t imagine better companions for life’s journey of ups and downs.