Which is the odd one out?

Which is the odd one out? That's the question I asked at this morning's school Carol Service.

Predictably most of the children, I reckon about 80%, went for Father Christmas - knowing that the big guy dressed in red probably didn't make an appearance in the Bible story, whereas the other five probably have something to do with the 'real' meaning of Christmas.

But the correct answer is not Father Christmas. The correct answer is the manger.

Of these six images only the manger is mentioned in the Bible account of the Christmas story. 

Surprising?

We then went on to talk about other surprises in the Christmas story.

Mary was a surprising choice for such an important role, a peasant girl in a small village.

The shepherds were a surprising choice as the first to hear about Jesus and the first to tell others. If you wanted a popular and reliable witness you certainly didn't ask a first century shepherd.

The 'wise men' - really they were astrologers and we don't know how many of them there were - were surprised. They turned up in the capital city at the palace looking for this new born king but found the young boy living about 5 miles away in poverty in a little house.

But the biggest surprise in the story? That it happened - that God came as a baby, to be born into poverty, to grow up and about thirty years later, to die - to demonstrate God's love for me. That's the biggest surprise in this story - that God loves us.

Feel free to stop reading at this point - that's a summary of the assembly - but if you're interested in knowing a bit more about the donkey or the stable then you might like to read on.

For some of us it might come as quite a surprise to find out that none of the other five are part of the original story. Father Christmas - obviously isn't. 

Most of us probably know that 25th December isn't Jesus' actual birthday but instead was chosen as the 3rd/4th century church took over a pagan festival. Depending on what you read you get different details about when and which festival but many have links to the winter solstice, to light, marking the shortest day in the year and the 'rebirth' of the sun. Given John's comments about Jesus being the 'light of the world', and 'the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it' this would seem a good choice. We have no idea as to Jesus' actual birthday - but not many peasant boys did back then. [It is also true that no where in the New Testament are we told to celebrate Jesus' birth - whereas we are told to remember and commemorate his death - but that's a whole different post.]

So the donkey - surely there was a donkey. How did Mary get to Bethlehem if not on a 'Little donkey, little donkey'? She may have gone by donkey, she may have had to walk. But walking 70 miles at 9 months pregnant? (I'm guessing 70 miles on the back of a donkey wouldn't be much fun either.) But where does it say that Mary gave birth within hours of arriving in Bethlehem, following a desperate search for somewhere to stay? They could have been there for weeks before Jesus was born. But there is no mention of a donkey.

But the stable and the inn keeper - surely they're a part of the story? Sorry - but not necessarily. 

If you have a modern translation of Luke 2:7 you'll see that there was no 'guest room' available for Mary and Joseph - rather than older translations which talk of there being no place at the 'inn'. The word translated guest room/inn is only used in one other context in the New Testament - to talk about the guest room where Jesus ate the last supper with his disciples. When the good Samaritan takes the injured man to an inn - that's a different word altogether. So Mary and Joseph were probably staying with relatives, but because there was no other available space in the house they were staying in the part of the house where the animals were kept during the night - hence the reason for the manger. The animals would have been kept inside the house at night in order to keep them safe from harm. 

But - there is a lot that we simply don't know about Jesus' birth - we are simply not told. And a lot that we think we do know comes from Christmas cards or Christmas Carols, rather than the New Testament.

But what we do know is that Jesus was born in order to save us from our sins. We know that God so loved the world that he sent Jesus. That's the real surprise of the story.

A re-newed vision

Back in the middle of October we began a period of praying and fasting at CBC specifically focusing on God's vision for his church here in this place. Then on Wednesday 25th November we came together as a church and shared the various thoughts that we had as we looked at three specific questions:

• Who is God calling us to be?
• Who is God calling us to reach?
• How does God want us to do this?

It was great to be able to present a new vision at the Members' Meeting last night - which draws from this time of prayer, conversations with different people, and the discussion and feedback from the 25th. If you weren't able to make the meeting yesterday then here's what you missed.

Our Vision

We are seeking to be an authentic community of disciples, becoming more like Jesus - walking in step with God, alongside each other and seeing lives transformed.

Our Values

Everything that we do and say is shaped by our seven core values:

• Loving
• Welcoming
• Missional
• Servant-hearted
• Biblical
• Spirit-led
• Prayerful

As we introduce this new vision over the next few months we will be explaining how this will impact what we do, and hopefully we will begin to see how we make choices and decisions based on our vision and values.

To help us to understand these statements a bit better I have added some notes below.

Unpacking Our Vision

Authentic - a place where genuine faith, characterised by an on-going relationship with Jesus, meets real life and recognises that often life is messy. We want to be a place where people can be themselves without the need for masks.

Community - a place where we learn together and where we support one another, where everyone feels welcome and has a place and a role, as we share our lives together.

Disciples - as disciples we are followers of Jesus and take discipleship seriously. This is a lifelong calling and requires a commitment to put Jesus first in all areas of our lives. We are called to make disciples and we recognise that genuine fulfilment can only be found in relationship with Jesus.

Becoming more like Jesus - this is our aim, to be more like Jesus.

Walking in step with God - on this journey of discipleship we need to follow where God leads, living in obedience to his calling, sensitive to the work of the Spirit, trusting that God has promised to walk with us.

Alongside each other - We are not called to this journey alone, but we are in community with others. On this journey we will learn from those ahead of us and we will encourage those behind us. We are also called to walk alongside those in our wider community sharing our life with them.

Seeing lives transformed - just as we experience the transforming presence of God’s Spirit in our lives we pray that as we share our lives with others they will be transformed too.



Unpacking our Values

Loving: Jesus commanded us to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind and to love our neighbours as ourselves. On the cross Jesus demonstrated what genuine love looks like. We will be motivated in everything by our love for God and we will care for, listen to, and think the best of each other.

Welcoming: Jesus offered a welcome to everyone - particularly those on the fringes. We will be welcoming to all and will practice hospitality as individuals and as a church.

Missional: Jesus sent his disciples out into the world to make disciples as they shared their experience of Jesus with others. We will ensure our focus is outward and we will reach out to others with the love of God - locally, nationally and internationally.

Servant-hearted: Jesus came to serve and he calls us to be his servants and develop a servant heart. We will commit to discovering and using the gifts that God has given each of us, so that we are all serving where God wants us to be.

Biblical: Jesus knew how to use the Word of God and it is through its pages that we encounter God and discover this big story that we are now a part of. We will spend time reading the Bible and we put ourselves under God’s authority as revealed through the truths of Scripture.

Spirit-led: Jesus promised his disciples would be filled with the Spirit and without his presence we are nothing. We will welcome the work of the Spirit, and want to see his fruit and gifts in our lives.

Prayerful: Jesus was never too busy to spend time alone with God in prayer. Without God we can do nothing of genuine value. We will be committed to spending time in prayer expectantly waiting for God to speak to us.

Why you can't be a baptist and agree with Donald Trump on Muslims

Although I am a baptist minister I have not always been a baptist. And I am fairly sure that within our baptist churches today the majority of people would not see themselves primarily as baptists - by which I mean - if they were to move house they would look for a good local church - whether that be baptist or not. Their choice would probably be based on things like theological stance on certain issues, style of worship, quality of preaching and provision for children - but these things can be found in a whole range of 'type' of church.

By the same score I am fairly sure that there will be many people within our baptist churches who know very little baptist history. When I moved to take up a teaching post in Essex I started attending a baptist church because their notice board said they had a mid week badminton club - my choice had nothing to do four hundred years of history.

But sometimes it is good to remember that history, and to remember those things that were central to the first baptist congregations - those things that marked them out as being different. Because those things - some people might speak of 'our baptist DNA' - should shape the way we think and act today.

You have probably heard or read Donald Trump's recent comments about a ban on Muslims entering the United States. Amongst supporters of this rallying call there are unfortunately those who would claim to be within the baptist fold. 

Here's a great article written by Steven Holmes on why such a stance is un-baptist. 

Advent - week 3

Yesterday was the third Sunday in Advent and so today I want to explore the theme of 'joy'. [In week 1 we looked at hope, and last week we looked at peace.]

When the angels came and spoke to the shepherds they claimed to have good news of great joy for all the people - that a saviour had been born. Next week at our Carol Service we will be singing the traditional version of 'Joy to the world'. But one of my favourite versions of this song is Chris Tomlin's 'Unspeakable Joy' from the album 'Glory in the Highest'.



Last week I took a Carol Service and used a great piece of writing by Bob Hartman entitled 'A Christmas Eve service for those who don't feel like celebrating' in which various participants take offence or question the possibility of the peace or the joy of the shepherds' message and through which we are encouraged to recognise and to pray for those who don't feel like celebrating this Christmas - whilst at the same time acknowledging that hope, peace, joy and love are available because of the baby who was born.

Personally this Christmas is going to be different. Many of you will know that in the summer, my sister, Carol died after a long on-off battle with cancer. And this Christmas will be the first time that we are all together again as a family since Carol's funeral and thanksgiving service. And along with many many families this Christmas as we spend time together we will be acutely aware of those who are no longer here. And so in amongst the joy of the season there will be sadness and no doubt a few tears.

But the joy of Christmas that the angels spoke about isn't dependant on presents, or good food and a celebratory drink. It's not even about time together with family. It's about being right with God, and the promise that Jesus is coming again. It's the joy that comes from knowing new life now and the hope of the resurrection to come.