As some of you know I am hosting two concerts with Michael W Smith in October. Belfast is selling very well and Glasgow goes on sale tomorrow.
Michael is a genuinely good guy and he does a lot of work for Compassion International, work we will be highlighting on this tour. Just today a new video of Michael in Africa was posted by Compassion - click below to view it.
Friday 29 June 2007
Monday 25 June 2007
Claiborne's community in trouble
Sorry to say that Shane Claiborne's community home burned down last week. Shane lost ALL his earthly possessions (he didn't have many) and many of the surrounding families lost their homes.
Click on the simple way website to read about it and see how you can help.
Thursday 21 June 2007
Levels of Compassion
A bit of thinking out loud....
Is poverty and our response strictly relative? For eight years now I've been involved in Romania, helping out young kids practically, with guidance and hopefully spiritually. It's cost a lot of money, mine and other kind peoples. I've a friend there who spends about £15k per year improving the lives of five severely disabled kids.
But should we be doing that? Wouldn't that money be better spent in South Africa, or Haiti, or Ghana or any one of another 50 countries where lives are on the brink? Where they can't eat, have no homes and don't have water to drink? Or in trying to rescue some of the thousands of human slaves.
Should we just prioritize everything on a basis of strict need? And if we should, should we be spending thousands bringing Franklin Graham to Belfast Odyssey Arena to preach the word to the most evangelised people on the face of the planet? WWJD? Would he have a mission, or would he join Mother Theresa on the front line (if she were still there and not dead!)?
Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way criticising the mission. But this relative need thing it's a very valid question that I think we all have to answer in our own lives. I'm feeling less and less inclined to stay in Romania, feel that I'm now wasting resources of money (and just as importantly time) on children who are not truly in poverty (relatively speaking).
I'd be genuinely interested in your thoughts.....
Is poverty and our response strictly relative? For eight years now I've been involved in Romania, helping out young kids practically, with guidance and hopefully spiritually. It's cost a lot of money, mine and other kind peoples. I've a friend there who spends about £15k per year improving the lives of five severely disabled kids.
But should we be doing that? Wouldn't that money be better spent in South Africa, or Haiti, or Ghana or any one of another 50 countries where lives are on the brink? Where they can't eat, have no homes and don't have water to drink? Or in trying to rescue some of the thousands of human slaves.
Should we just prioritize everything on a basis of strict need? And if we should, should we be spending thousands bringing Franklin Graham to Belfast Odyssey Arena to preach the word to the most evangelised people on the face of the planet? WWJD? Would he have a mission, or would he join Mother Theresa on the front line (if she were still there and not dead!)?
Don't get me wrong, I'm in no way criticising the mission. But this relative need thing it's a very valid question that I think we all have to answer in our own lives. I'm feeling less and less inclined to stay in Romania, feel that I'm now wasting resources of money (and just as importantly time) on children who are not truly in poverty (relatively speaking).
I'd be genuinely interested in your thoughts.....
Friday 8 June 2007
Thursday 7 June 2007
Ever heard of Shane Claiborne? I hadn't until I came across him in some of Tony Campolo's stuff. He's a hard guy to sum up. I think HE would best like to be summed up as a young guy who decided to live every day as if Jesus meant the things he said.I've invited him to Belfast to speak on October 30th in Spires conference centre. And he's accepted thankfully.
Have a look at this interview with him.
Interview
Sunday 3 June 2007
On being a pirate....
If you're anything like me, you're probably too busy. Way too busy.
Tonight I took the time to read my boys a story for the first time in....well, I'm embarrassed to say. A simple story about pirates. Then another and another. It was the best time we'd spent together in ages.
No big deep point to make here. Just spend some time with those you love most and be thankful that you have them. Become a pirate for an hour...........
Tonight I took the time to read my boys a story for the first time in....well, I'm embarrassed to say. A simple story about pirates. Then another and another. It was the best time we'd spent together in ages.
No big deep point to make here. Just spend some time with those you love most and be thankful that you have them. Become a pirate for an hour...........
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