Christian Leaders Can Expect Trouble Because It’s Leadership In The Name Of Jesus, The World’s Troublemaker (via Will Willimon)

Gary Ware

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August 5, 2020

Being a Christian leader is hard, because Christian leadership is service in partnership, not the imposition of authority to achieve the outcomes you desire.
The way of Christian leadership is that truth taught is truth lived; the Gospel received is the Gospel that compels action, and leaders model that as much as they teach it. If there is no modelling then there is no effective teaching.

From Leading With The Sermon:

As challenging as good preaching is, competent, skilled, courageous leadership can be even more daunting for pastors. It’s tough to craft an interesting sermon; equally demanding to lead a productive church meeting. All Christian leadership’s authority is contested because it rests upon Christ’s still-disputed sovereignty. No matter how skilled their leadership, Christian leaders can expect trouble because it’s leadership in the name of Jesus, the world’s troublemaker.

William H Willimon, Leading With The Sermon, Fortress Press, 2020, pgs 19-20.

Knowing You by Shane and Shane

Gary Ware

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August 4, 2020

Shane and Shane seem quite popular and prolific, producing volumes of treatments of songs old and new for church singing.
Here they cover Graham Kendrick’s Knowing You.
Apparently the 1990s qualify as vintage.

I think I’ll dig this up for Sunday evening fellowship this week, though I can’t sing it this slow.

MGPC Worship Livestreams August 2, 2020

Gary Ware

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August 4, 2020

Last Sunday we resumed our evening fellowship, (and morning tea).

In the morning, Mark’s Gospel takes the time to give us an intimate insight into Jesus at prayer. Given Mark’s economy of content, this inclusion is more than an interlude; more than a practical guide to the circumstance, frequency, and content of prayer; it bridges what has gone before and what follows to ensure us that God’s plan is unfolding and that Jesus is a knowing and willing participant in the events that follow.

Sunday evening fellowship has some songs, Bible readings and a sermon. A time of group prayer has been moved to after the livestream close to better deal with privacy issues.
In a way that couldn’t be planned, a series in the book of Jeremiah picks up where we left off in March – in Jeremiah 25 that refers to God’s judgment in the figure of a cup. A timely counterpoint to Jesus’ prayer in Mark’s Gospel.

Farewelling An Old Friend

Gary Ware

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August 3, 2020

I conducted a funeral for a dear lady I’d known for nearly thirty years or so today where I avoided making eye contact with her husband throughout the service. Due to our social distance seating plan he wasn’t in my direct line of sight, but I stayed pretty focused on other areas of the room.

That was my plan to get through, and it worked. Just.

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